Videos imminent for UK iTunes store

The relationship between the License Fee, the BBC proper and BBC Worldwide is a complex one. Basically, the BBC isn't allowed to charge for any of its services, the only money the BBC proper is allowed to get from consumers is the License Fee - which is set by the government.

BBC Worldwide is a wholly owned subsidiary of the BBC, and is the arm of the BBC that handles selling BBC content to other channels, both domestic and worldwide. It also sells things like DVDs, and the Radio Times which is a TV listings magazine. Profits from BBC Worldwide go back into the BBC proper, and they are also the only company allowed to advertise its products on the BBC. Various BBC-branded ad and subscription channels worldwide are either wholly or partly owned by BBC Worldwide.

The issue of how, if BBC content were to come onto iTunes in the UK, it would be allowed to be charged for, is a confusing one. On the one hand, BBC Worldwide already sell DVDs of TV shows in the UK - and on the other, the BBC proper is already offering free downloads through the Windows-only iPlayer. Forcing Mac-using license payers to, in essence, pay again for content they *could* get on a Windows PC for free, albeit with some heavy restrictions, will not go down well with the British public.

Sam

@ Chris

Moreover, there's no french Audio Books in the Apple Store Canada. It been almost 3 years that I write Apple for this in vain. In France they got some f**ken french Audio Book literature. Hey Steve, what's going on? So, when comes the time that we'll able to download films at the iTS Canada, I'm sure that there will be no french version at all.

@Jake Coventry

No adverts? When do you go to the bathroom?

@Joe and Mo

In the UK we pay a TV License to the BBC of about £115 a year. That basically means that it cannot be watched by anyone who doesnt pay it. If you have a TV in the UK then you have to by law pay the License fee.. :-( The best bit is that there are NO adverts on the BBC.. cos us poor buggers are paying for it ...

@Joe: TV licensing isn't affected by Internet delivery. The only snag in opening up the content from the different iTunes stores is distribution rights. For some reason, content producers like to actively prevent people from buying their work.

(I've yet to figure out precisely why, because as a result people just download it through less legal means intead).

There would definitely be some kind of event to announce this. They wouldn't just implement it quietly.

I hope this is true because it's long overdue. However, I can see why it's taken a long time - the unions and guilds over here are very picky on stuff like repeat royalties, and DVD royalties, they all want a share and it's been difficult even for the broadcasters themselves to launch download services in the UK.

I do wonder, since US Sci-Fi is quite popular over here, whether we'll see things like Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis on a UK TV iTS, or whether it'll be limited to UK shows only.

Sam

maybe they plan to tie it into an event to launch the next gen ipod, or the iphone in the UK

It's too late Apple, just too late. I've waited long enough and I don't want your stupid videos now. You can shove them. That'll show you for making British people wait two years! Heh!!

Ah... Switzerland... I guess I'll wait (what other options do I have? :-) ). Seriously, I hope it gets released Europe-wide before the end of the year. At least I'll be able to start complanining about the poor video quality.