BBC To Offer Entire Catalogue Online June 11, 2008

I wonder how long it'll take them to upload all of that :Z

If they're doing this, it's gonna be huge.

Except the bits they've lost, of course.

Well Duh Bob

Ok, so the entire library on-line - so FREE?

What about all the people that are forced by LAW to pay the BBC TV License; yes we brits have to but a license to watch TV - but only the BBC ?!

It costs 139.50 GBP thats $274/yr which pays for the "great" TV shows and Radio (yawn).

Why are license payer paying for other people to watch it free on the web?

So what's happening is licenec payers are going to be funding 6 billion 1TB harddrives to watch programmes that were made 80 years ago? give us a break. and don't give it to non brits for free either.

This is going to appease those ISPs p*****d off with BBC's iplayer! :D

More bandwidth for the ISPs to complain about!

OMG UK ISPs are gonna be pissed...

Why am i paying a TV licence?

Do you think they'll be charging to view some of the old material? They'd be hurting their own DVD profits if they upload all the old Doctor Who episodes, for example.

Isn't this an announcement that a web page for every programme that has been broadcast will be created, with information relevant to that programme being held? I didn't think this equated to the actual show being posted on-line for streaming/download - just information about the programme - at least initially.

Isn't this just http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes moving out of Beta?

The BBC Backstage team offered access to the BBC internal archive library system, INFAX, for a while, but this stopped after a beta period. This announcement seems to suggest a different way of accessing similar information.

Why release all of it, including the stuff they might be able to sell commercially?

They're paid for lock stock and barrel by a tax on the citizens of Britain, and are supposed to be a public service.

If I'm a taxpayer, and I paid for it once, I'm sure as all hell not going to be too pleased when they ask me to pony up again, and I might let my MP hear what exactly I think of this already unpopular and dodgy scheme of theirs. They're already up to their neck with OFT and quango trouble, the don't need any more.

BBC iPlayer isn't accessible outside the UK - your liense money is safe.

But what about the World Service? Should that be limited to just the UK too?

Hey, how about not spending the money offering any content online and withdrawing the BBC lincence fee altogether.

For those of you outside the UK, the BBC try to imprison anyone in the UK who does not purchase the BBC Licence Fee. Regardless of whether or not you watch the BBC, if you own a TV you HAVE to buy this bloody thing.

I hate the BBC. Absolutely loathe them. And their content is crap. Bastards.

So will owning a computer now mean you have to purchase a TV license? If I own a 37" computer monitor (i.e. LCD HDTV) and only connect a computer to it are the TV licensing folk gonna argue with me? Hmmm...

Ironically, as a Yank, I've been perfectly willing to give the BBC my cash to buy DVD's of my favorite old shows. They seem extremely reluctant to release an entire series. I know they aren't always the owner of some of their programmes but you would think they could work something out.

Robert, the BBC does not chase license fees nor does it jail anyone. The license fee is a governmental tax, and most of the proceeeds go to the BBC.

They are bastards though, I agree.

tv licence website says
"You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, digital box, DVD or video recorder, PC, laptop or mobile phone to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV."

It does state "AS THEY'RE BEING SHOWN ON TV" so not sure if using the iplayer constitutes a requirement to purchase a license.

Wow...such whining. You should all be glad that this is obviously a step away from being forced to pay for broadcast television.

Enough with the lose the license fee rants already! Tote up a years worth of Sky, multiply that by four to account for the amount of viewing you DONT get to see because of trash advertising - and then compare that to the BBCs output! It's by far the best quality production in the world and having spent time in the States flicking aimlessly from channel to channel to find something decent to watch between the endless ad breaks I for one celebrate the BBC and all who sail in her!

Just found the speech that introduces the idea of a "web page per programme".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/speeches/stories/bennett_banff2008.shtml

In it Jana Bennett, Director of BBC Vision (i.e. the bit that isn't Radio), talks of every show the BBC has ever made having a "web presence" so you can find out about it.

If you wade through it - she points out clearly that the page will ideally point to the various sources of that programme - whether it is iPlayer (within the iPlayer window), iTunes and other online purchase sources etc.

This was NOT an announcement that every BBC show they've ever made will be available for download...

The rights agreements negotiated when the BBC make programmes do not allow for indefinite free download... The BBC has to pay for using music, stills, archive etc. as well as fees to Equity, Musicians Union etc. for use of various existing content. The BBC do not pay for rights to use these contributions forever - the costs would be prohibitive. This is why the Beeb has to pay to show repeated programmes, and is partly why they charge us for DVDs and iTunes downloads. (As well as making a profit to make more shows)

This announcement is purely that every show the BBC makes will have a web page that will tell you more about it - and once every show the Beeb has made has a web page - searching for content that may, or may not, be available to you (wherever you live), free or at a cost, will be easier...

BBC = Best Bloody Channels !!!!

BBC you pwn! ITV ain't got nothing on you!

Seriously now. This sounds like the best thing to do. People will be able to find shows which were on before they were born. People will be able to watch the original Dr Who series'. I wonder if they'll have a wee jokey joke with us and put ads in during the shows :p that'd be a laugh

If you have an HDTV connected to a monitor then it has a tuner built in, therefore yes you would have to pay your tv license. And why shouldn't you, if you expect to access BBC content? Also I pay the TV license & consider 140 quid a bargain for several quality channels, all without advertising.

As my daughter just said to me when she found out Britannia RULES ! Hopefully she will find some programming for me.

hah, 135 quid, if you cant afford that for a year of tv, you better start working harder or go back to school and get some better qualifications! seriously, this is a great idea, i cant wait!

Its amazing how many people complain about the license fee when they pay Sky 3 times as much for 50 times as much s@@t.