Quality: BBC and YouTube in bed together

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Sunday, 04 March 2007 16:46

Your IT - Entertainment

The videos will feature advertising, but at least two of the channels won’t be watchable by UK residents visiting Youtube because of the advertising and the BBC’s status as an ad-free publicly funded broadcaster, yet a channel called ‘BBC Worldwide’, which is detailed below and contains advertising, will apparently be viewable in the UK with the ads.

The BBC has a commercial arm which has separation of sorts from the public arm, and it is how the BBC intends to deal with the advertising issues, as it learns how to monetize its content without alienating viewers and the regulators, with the process being a delicate balancing act. Already some shows, such as Top Gear, are reported to be already carrying advertising, meaning the advertising on YouTube BBC videos is not a first for the company.

Advertising will include banner ads, along with video advertisements either within the content, as a short pre-roll to the video starting or all three. Some of the ads will point to the BBC’s own site, where viewers will be able to watch longer clips or even the full show when the BBC’s catch-up TV service video player launches in the future.

According to the BBC and YouTube press release, the issue of advertising is explained thus: “The non-exclusive partnership reflects the BBC's commitment to reach audiences in new ways. The aim is to offer audiences a taste of BBC programming with clips which will (subject to the conclusion of the ongoing PVT process) link them to the BBC’s proposed iPlayer service on bbc.co.uk. For BBC Worldwide the partnership forms part of a strategy to bring great British content to new audiences around the world through its global TV channels and its proposed new digital businesses - the commercial iPlayer and the commercialisation of international traffic to bbc.co.uk. Increasing levels of funds will be returned to the BBC for investment in new programming.”

The press release continues that: “Clips on BBC News (available to users outside the UK only) and “BBC Worldwide” will benefit from Google and YouTube's advertising platforms, generating new revenues for investment in BBC programme development and creation. Advertising will be governed by a comprehensive set of guidelines.”

Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC, said: "This ground-breaking partnership between the BBC and YouTube is fantastic news for our audiences. YouTube is a key gateway through which to engage new audiences in the UK and abroad.”

Thompson continues that: “The partnership provides both a creative outlet for a range of short-form content from BBC programme makers, and the opportunity to learn about new forms of audience behaviour. It's essential that the BBC embraces new ways of reaching wider audiences with non-exclusive partnerships such as these."

Both Eric Schmidt from Google and Chad Hurley from YouTube also comment in the press release that they’re also excited about the new channels, heartily welcome the BBC on board and look forward to bringing new audiences to the BBC’s and other online content and deepening the relationship between content creators and their massive online audiences.

The BBC’s deal with YouTube is yet another milestone for the continuing maturity of the Internet as a reliable video platform, and no doubt the forbearer of much more online video activity to come.