I wondered how long it would be before print media pointed at the BBC’s new smartphone apps plan as another example of expansion in to their commercial territory. The answer: just 24 hours…
The Newspaper Publishers Association, in an emailed statement, says its members believe BBC apps “will undermine the commercial sector
Same old nonsense from the NPA. Where is all this local video news that the regional papers were so concerned to preserve? Is there any sign of the investment that they claimed the BBC Local Video plan would stifle? No there is not. I really hope for once the BBC Trust will find some backbone and tell the NPA where to stick its self-serving interference.
It took the stunning simplicity and rock solid performance of iPlayer to get the other broadcaster’s arses into gear and about 12 months later a decent 4oD appears (after a couple of ITV false starts – silverlight and non-mac, wtf?).
This is good news for the consumer. Fact.
So hang on, a free app from BBC News will destroy the apps of The Telegraph or The Indy. Which are also free. Well that would only make sense if the BBC was better at providing news than the newspa… Oh. Right.
The commercial news operators have had the market to themselves for over two years…. and they’ve failed to capitalise on in it in a commercial way – what’s changed? Suddenly the BBC in this space stops them doing what they’ve not been doing? huh?
The BBC offering a free app may indeed spur them onto building their own apps, better apps, apps that offer functionality beyond the delivery of straight news, or in such a compelling way (say with full offline access?) that I’d be happy to pay a subscription for in the way I pay for the Times Online edition of the paper.
Freedom of choice must include the BBC, and in this day and age content providers from around the world.
http://goffee-freelance.blogspot.com/2010/02/whining-starts-over-bbc-iphone-apps.html
the bbc is out of control, a wrecker of commerce. It seems to be hoping for some sort of showdown
The BBC’s only reason for existence is to maintain itself.
Sounds like News Corporation want to be the sole mediator of news, not only to foster their world view, but to make a profit too.
So ” It previously barred the addition of video bulletins to its BBC Local sites after the newspaper industry, which was investing in online video at the time, got worked up …”
And since they got the ban they have all but stopped the video content where I live (Northcliffe territory) and have now started reducing the amount of news online too “READ MORE IN THE PAPER TOMORROW”. Which implies they have no intention of doing it as it costs too much and makes no profit for the Daily Mail.
The BBC is a good financial model for online content .. we all pay a bit each day upfront and we all take what we want when we want it.
I am fed up with these attacks on the BBC providing public service broadcasting through any channel it can.
It’s interesting to see there are several fledging facebook groups protesting (my favourite being “BBC apps not advertising pap!”). Doubt there’ll be many arguing for News International and co.’s profits.