The BBC’s rumoured download service named Project Barcelona has been announced by BBC director general Mark Thompson.
As we reported earlier this week the service will allow users to purchase content to download and watch from the archive. Thompson said that programmes will be available for "relatively modest" fee. The leaked information from earlier this week suggested prices around £1.89.
The plans for Project Barcelona will be put before the BBC Trust later this year. The scheme will require the support of producers to go ahead. The BBC is supposedly planning to pay producers a better share of the money compared to iTunes.
The BBC offers its TV and radio shows for free via the iPlayer for seven days after being broadcast with some entire series available. The new ‘digital shop’ will be the equivalent of customers buying a DVD in shop, according to Thompson, with some content not previously available to own.
Customers might not be too happy with paying for content on top of the annual licence fee. However, Thompson denied that the scheme is a "second licence fee by stealth".
Comments
Derekdouglas said: From an educational standpoint this is great Past experience of lecturers coming in the day after something has been broadcast because they feel it would be great for their class to then be told sorry you didnt ask for it we didnt record it or having to explain that yes its on Iplayer but youll need to view that via Iplayer as we cant record it means this new service will be great
Marie Brewis said: Changed now thanks guys
AitchBEE said: AlexanderI noticed the spelling errora day after you didIts still there
AitchBEE said: AlexanderI noticed the spelling errora day after you didIts still there
AitchEE said: The word free in red shoud be feeit does make a difference
Johnyboy said: Did the BBC actually say it is to be a rival to iTunes or is that the inference made by the press for a startling headline If the quality is as good as iPlayer in HD it will be very acceptable And can you not see many old programs on GOLD and the History channels
sip said: I dont know why all these upstarts and I dont mean start-ups are seen as download service to rival iTunesThe BBC will offer video and audio programming -- will it also offer real music Right now this is all vapourware and we wont know how good the service will be until its let loose on the publicGeographic coverage will also be interesting -- have you ever watched Steptoe amp Son or Only Fools amp Horses dubbed in Arabic Not funny at allI use iTunes to organise my recordings of recitals and buy apps for my iDevices I have never purchased any music or videos from the iTunes store but I do recognise that it is a mature service and one which will be hard to match or overtakeLets cut the hype and just state the facts
Mike said: I have no problem with people paying to own a copy of a BBC programme just like buying a DVD But I wish they would actually broadcast some of their archive of programmes now and again Theres loads of great stuff that unless you want to own it you will never get to see again it seems
Alexander Stopher said: Anyone notice that it says Licence free instead of Licence fee
Johnyboy said: The licence fee is to allow you to receive television in your home of ANY variety ie it is for the receiver The fact that the BBC get the fee is because every other broadcaster is funded from you buying products from companies who advertise on TV no complaints there then The Gold channel has been charging for years and part of this funding goes to the BBC already and helps to keep YOUR licence fee down which incidentally is a mere 40 pence a day for something like 50 TV channels and 20 digital radio channels What ever more do you expect to get for this minute sum The BBC also sells programmes world wide because they are so bldy good and this also helps to keep that 40p a day from escalatingPlease try and get things in proportion
Davidinnotts said: Customers might not be too happy with paying for content on top of the annual licence fee However Thompson denied that the scheme is a second licence fee by stealth Sounds like an editorial wind-up to me aimed at people like you Bernard The word denied is the one the press always uses when they throw out an outrageous accusation just to get people going And if the interviewee doesnt agree because the idea is stupid its a denial - implied of something reasonable If they do agree it starts another wind-upYour BBC licence fee pays for specific things mainly the right to watch live programmes And it doesnt and never has included free perpetual access to everything the BBC has ever produced They get another huge part of their income from selling content later - and this keeps the licence fee down You seem to want to have your cake and eat itBernard are you one of those people who claims that just because youve paid your fair whach to our cash-limited Health Service youre entitled to all of the health-related treatments you like no matter how outrageously expensive or unlikely to work and no matter who goes without to give it to you Same argument
Bernard Betts said: Dont you get it Matbailie we already pay for EVERYTHING they do So if they can generate internet based content and we want it then we licence fee payers should always get it for free Let them sell it to the rest of the world - isnt that market big enough without having to fleece us get it LICENCE FEE PAYERS for material and service we already paid forBTW who records on VHS You have to pay people to take them away nowadays And DVDs are on their way out
Matbailie said: What does this service take-away from existing licence fee holders They can still watch the same channels for free they can still record those channels to VHS DVD PVR etcThis can only add something extra beyond what the licence fee has always covered So Im not sure what legitimacy the extra licence fee by stealth argument has- Pay the same get the same- Pay more get moreWheres the problem