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A friend of mine works in BBC sales. He tells me that selling rights for their TV shows to channels in various countries is highly lucrative for the BBC. He al
by stevoski 15y ago
A friend of mine works in BBC sales. He tells me that selling rights for their TV shows to channels in various countries is highly lucrative for the BBC.
He also tells me that he understands this model won't last much longer. But until then, for economic reasons, the BBC doesn't want to make it too easy for you to watch their content directly in your non-UK country without going through a local channel.
- jonnathanson 15y agoInternational sales, distribution, and licensing has been a major cash cow of the TV industry for decades. It works in the other direction, as well, i.e., from the USA to the UK (and to other countries). Your friend is correct in that the appeal of this cash cow is why the industry will fight tooth and nail before they have to put her out to pasture. The model is going to become irrelevant sooner or later, but for the time being, it's still paying off handsomely. It will go, but it won't go quietly.
- digikata 15y agoThe crazy part is that they could replace it with a new cash cow by simply charging for convenient access. Not only that, but you could deal with fewer middlemen, get more control over your own product distribution.
- officemonkey 15y agoHow lucrative? As lucrative as a £1 rental of each episode of Downton Abbey or Dr. Who available the day after it is broadcast? Because that's the price point I would pay to watch a current episode.
- justincormack 15y agoThey keep talking about releasing iplayer as a global subscription service. It will clearly happen sometime soon.