Auntie developing ad-backed bbcTunes music download service

Davey Winder
Friday, 05 September 2008 15:00

Business IT - Networking

The BBC is planning a music download service so fans can pay for tracks that have been broadcast on TV and Radio for free. Has Auntie gone stark raving mad?

I can understand the appeal of launching a music download store. After all, everyone else seems to be doing it in order to tap a revenue stream from a music stream.

I can understand that the BBC, desperate to become part of the Internet in-crowd these days, would view the notion of some kind of bbcTunes with some glee.

What I can't understand, however, is how the Beeb thinks it can get away with this. Perhaps I had better explain myself at this point, seeing as my pointy accusation finger is being prodded firmly in Auntie's chest right now.

The plan, it would appear, is to start with some 1000 music tracks that have already been broadcast over the years in TV and Radio programmes.

Indeed, it is thought that some 300 BBC programmes, including the likes of The Old Grey Whistle Test and John Peel Sessions will be resurrected from the archives along with current output such as the Radio 1 Live Lounge.

So far so good, you might think. And it gets better when you learn that the BBC is apparently planning to shy away from the Apple iTunes norm and make its downloaded content entirely DRM-free.

The icing on the cake being that users will be able to stream that music content for free, no charges involved at all.

So what was it I was getting all moody about earlier again? Ah yes, there's this not so small thing in the UK called a TV License Fee.

What is the license fee and why does it make any difference to the BBC operating an iTunes-alike service? Does advertising on the BBC enter the argument? How much will music on bbcTunes cost?

Find out on page 2...

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