Friday 14 December 2007

Missing the point

I thought of subscribing to a YouTube news feed, so I went to the BBC. Those stalwarts of the British broadcasting ethos.

So I was surprised to find this message on the BBC World News channel:

Sorry, but these clips are not available to users in the UK. Please go direct to our BBC site by clicking on the "More BBC News video and audio" link above. Thanks.

The UK isn't part of the World, and I must use the BBC News website. Lets see...my taxes and licence fee went towards the making of these shows, and then the BBC paid some of that money to YouTube to host the shows that I've paid some money towards (or did they?), and now I can't see them because I'm in Britain?

Ah, here's the nub of the matter:

From BBC World, the BBC's international commercial television channel: Around 30 news clips per day will be offered, with up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world. The advertising-funded clips will be available to users outside the UK only. (source)

BBC News: The news channel, which will be launched later this year, will show about 30 news clips per day. ... Because of the advertising, these clips can be seen outside the UK only. Any UK users clicking on a link to one of the news clips on YouTube will get a message that they have no access to this clip. (source)

They have adverts - and  the BBC in the UK doesn't have adverts.

Guess what? I already have the BBC News as my browser's homepage, and wanted the YouTube feed for readers to view. A handy source of news. Shame that the restrictions inherent in the system prevent that. Web:1899?

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