Comments on: My reactions to the BBC deal with Google/YouTube http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/ The Virtual Investor Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:44:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: David Jones http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-184421 David Jones Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:20:48 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-184421 <em>The more concerning issue is that adverts will be displayed for some clips to users in the UK, and I think that’s an awful concession to make in order to avoid building an in-house system that does this within the BBC</em> You're talking absolute b*ll*cks and as an ex-BBC employee, you know it - or you should know it. Here's a question for you. Which BBC channels targetted mainly at the UK already carry advertising? So where's the concession? My disenchantment at the Beeb is complete now the true Blue Peter story has leaked out... By the way. Why not stop using an extremely sad and unfortunate recent incident to post such self-aggrandising messages? And skip the accent on the word 'Resume', you arse - unless you'd like to add appropriate diacritics to every other word you borrow from French. Facade? Cafe? Naive? I don't think 'twat' has one. The more concerning issue is that adverts will be displayed for some clips to users in the UK, and I think that’s an awful concession to make in order to avoid building an in-house system that does this within the BBC

You’re talking absolute b*ll*cks and as an ex-BBC employee, you know it – or you should know it.

Here’s a question for you. Which BBC channels targetted mainly at the UK already carry advertising?

So where’s the concession?

My disenchantment at the Beeb is complete now the true Blue Peter story has leaked out…

By the way. Why not stop using an extremely sad and unfortunate recent incident to post such self-aggrandising messages?

And skip the accent on the word ‘Resume’, you arse – unless you’d like to add appropriate diacritics to every other word you borrow from French.

Facade? Cafe? Naive?

I don’t think ‘twat’ has one.

]]> By: Charles Edward Frith http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-175015 Charles Edward Frith Sat, 03 Mar 2007 03:55:23 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-175015 I couldn't disagree more. The BBC has a completely different business model to the likes of Viacom and is thus open to the idea that by giving more they will receive more. If I was part of their brand in an increasingy competitive market place for eyeballs, anything that gave an opportunity for people to see the quality of my content, through whatever media channel is to my mind a plus. Of course this experiment is funded at the expense of the tax payer but it's an experiment that I for one am willing to pay for. I couldn’t disagree more. The BBC has a completely different business model to the likes of Viacom and is thus open to the idea that by giving more they will receive more. If I was part of their brand in an increasingy competitive market place for eyeballs, anything that gave an opportunity for people to see the quality of my content, through whatever media channel is to my mind a plus. Of course this experiment is funded at the expense of the tax payer but it’s an experiment that I for one am willing to pay for.

]]> By: Christopher Woods http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-174998 Christopher Woods Sat, 03 Mar 2007 02:45:44 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-174998 Very interesting read, Ben - thanks for the writeup of your opinions! However; its, not it's. You made the mistake quite a few times throughout the article, and it interrupts the flow of the text a bit. Considering the amount of eyes this article's going to get over the next few days, maybe edit this article and correct the incorrect apostrophes? Sorry if I sound like a grumpy old man, misuse of "its" and "it's" is one of my pet hates. The actual content of the article was pretty good though, just commenting on the single incorrect grammar usage! Grumpy old man mode off... Very interesting read, Ben – thanks for the writeup of your opinions! However;

its, not it’s.

You made the mistake quite a few times throughout the article, and it interrupts the flow of the text a bit. Considering the amount of eyes this article’s going to get over the next few days, maybe edit this article and correct the incorrect apostrophes?

Sorry if I sound like a grumpy old man, misuse of “its” and “it’s” is one of my pet hates. The actual content of the article was pretty good though, just commenting on the single incorrect grammar usage!

Grumpy old man mode off…

]]> By: Mathew Ingram http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-174773 Mathew Ingram Fri, 02 Mar 2007 19:12:30 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-174773 I take your point, Ben -- and I think the BBC should definitely be looking at other deals as well (since I'm pretty sure the YouTube deal is non-exclusive), including its own platform as well as maybe an embeddable player through someone like Brightcove. But at the same time, why not take advantage of YouTube? Maybe make a little revenue, get some eyeballs, do some marketing. Where's the harm? I take your point, Ben — and I think the BBC should definitely be looking at other deals as well (since I’m pretty sure the YouTube deal is non-exclusive), including its own platform as well as maybe an embeddable player through someone like Brightcove. But at the same time, why not take advantage of YouTube? Maybe make a little revenue, get some eyeballs, do some marketing. Where’s the harm?

]]> By: Steven http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-174746 Steven Fri, 02 Mar 2007 18:37:46 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-174746 Hi Ben. It was great to see you last week. Hope those new boots didn't cause any security alerts at the airport! Highfield seems to be pretty forthright that this deal is really all about promoting the BBC's services. I'd imagine the BBC folks who brokered this deal will be particularly interested in attracting more US users to BBC websites, as part of efforts to raise revenue from the proposed commercial advertising on the international versions of these sites, and tying that into BBC Worldwide's attempts to get a proper foothold in the commercial US market. Hi Ben. It was great to see you last week. Hope those new boots didn’t cause any security alerts at the airport!

Highfield seems to be pretty forthright that this deal is really all about promoting the BBC’s services.

I’d imagine the BBC folks who brokered this deal will be particularly interested in attracting more US users to BBC websites, as part of efforts to raise revenue from the proposed commercial advertising on the international versions of these sites, and tying that into BBC Worldwide’s attempts to get a proper foothold in the commercial US market.

]]> By: Ben http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-174721 Ben Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:55:41 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-174721 @Rachel <blockquote>"I thought the promotional behind the scenes stuff is served ad free on the BBC channel, but the show clips on the BBC Worldwide channel, and they mentioned things like Spooks and TopGear, would carry ads"</blockquote> Show clips just a few minutes long, to me, are still promotional given that the content is being edited down to fit the time slot. Sure, TopGear has segments but Spooks for example is produced to be an hour long show and thus any clip from it (to me) is just a trailer and not a self-standing piece of content. @Rachel

“I thought the promotional behind the scenes stuff is served ad free on the BBC channel, but the show clips on the BBC Worldwide channel, and they mentioned things like Spooks and TopGear, would carry ads”

Show clips just a few minutes long, to me, are still promotional given that the content is being edited down to fit the time slot. Sure, TopGear has segments but Spooks for example is produced to be an hour long show and thus any clip from it (to me) is just a trailer and not a self-standing piece of content.

]]> By: Scott Jungling http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-174717 Scott Jungling Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:33:24 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-174717 I should have been a little more specific, the "existing platform" I was referring to was iTunes. However, now that I think about it, the obvious draw back would be the whole DRM issue. I think you're right in that YouTube doesn't offer much to traditional broadcasters. I think partners like the NBA or NHL make a little more sense as people are probably less inclined to want to purchase full length videos of games that have happened in the past. While at the same time, short highlight clips can only help boost awareness and interest. I should have been a little more specific, the “existing platform” I was referring to was iTunes. However, now that I think about it, the obvious draw back would be the whole DRM issue.

I think you’re right in that YouTube doesn’t offer much to traditional broadcasters. I think partners like the NBA or NHL make a little more sense as people are probably less inclined to want to purchase full length videos of games that have happened in the past. While at the same time, short highlight clips can only help boost awareness and interest.

]]> By: Ben http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-174713 Ben Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:20:12 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-174713 @Scot I have no idea why the BBC hasn't teamed up with Apple ITunes Store but it's hard for me to comment because I don't know whether they tried and were rebuffed or whether it's just that they've never considered it. <blockquote>"However, for an international audience, why not take advantage of the platform which has already been built?"</blockquote> It depends whether you see this is as a viable content distribution channel. YouTube can be, if it's used for content (albeit short, user-generated). However clips and trailers, to me, are promotional and as such it sounds to me like the BBC is using YouTube as a promotion opportunity. If you're going to put video out into the ether as a promotional 'tidbit' then you need to think about what happens next when you have caught the user's attention. On YouTube it would be very difficult to direct them to the program's original website or ways in which they can consume the rest of that piece of media in full (iPlayer online through to boring DVD purchase on Amazon). YouTube isn't designed for that where as broadcaster's own websites generally are. As a platform in general, I actually think YouTube affords a broadcaster or commercial content owner very little in terms of monetization opportunity (at least currently) or upsell/cross-sell. Let's not forget the existing platform was built primarily for user-generated content and in it's current form was never intended to be monetized through anything but basic banner adverts, etc. @Scot

I have no idea why the BBC hasn’t teamed up with Apple ITunes Store but it’s hard for me to comment because I don’t know whether they tried and were rebuffed or whether it’s just that they’ve never considered it.

“However, for an international audience, why not take advantage of the platform which has already been built?”

It depends whether you see this is as a viable content distribution channel. YouTube can be, if it’s used for content (albeit short, user-generated).

However clips and trailers, to me, are promotional and as such it sounds to me like the BBC is using YouTube as a promotion opportunity.

If you’re going to put video out into the ether as a promotional ‘tidbit’ then you need to think about what happens next when you have caught the user’s attention.

On YouTube it would be very difficult to direct them to the program’s original website or ways in which they can consume the rest of that piece of media in full (iPlayer online through to boring DVD purchase on Amazon). YouTube isn’t designed for that where as broadcaster’s own websites generally are.

As a platform in general, I actually think YouTube affords a broadcaster or commercial content owner very little in terms of monetization opportunity (at least currently) or upsell/cross-sell. Let’s not forget the existing platform was built primarily for user-generated content and in it’s current form was never intended to be monetized through anything but basic banner adverts, etc.

]]> By: Scott Jungling http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-174691 Scott Jungling Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:49:10 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-174691 Do you have any thoughts/ideas/insight as to why the BBC hasn't teamed up with Apple's iTunes store (outside of the UK) to try and distribute/monetize video content? Since that's a common direction that all of the big American Networks have gone in addition to pursuing their own internal distribution network. I agree, that for the UK audience, an internal solution would be ideal. However, for an international audience, why not take advantage of the platform which has already been built? Do you have any thoughts/ideas/insight as to why the BBC hasn’t teamed up with Apple’s iTunes store (outside of the UK) to try and distribute/monetize video content? Since that’s a common direction that all of the big American Networks have gone in addition to pursuing their own internal distribution network.

I agree, that for the UK audience, an internal solution would be ideal. However, for an international audience, why not take advantage of the platform which has already been built?

]]> By: Rachel Clarke http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2007/03/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/comment-page-1/#comment-174681 Rachel Clarke Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:35:04 +0000 http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/02/my-reactions-to-the-bbc-deal-with-googleyoutube/#comment-174681 You have a different read on the ads than me. I thought the promotional behind the scenes stuff is served ad free on the BBC channel, but the show clips on the BBC Worldwide channel, and they mentioned things like Spooks and TopGear, would carry ads, as well as the news channel only available outside the UK. You have a different read on the ads than me. I thought the promotional behind the scenes stuff is served ad free on the BBC channel, but the show clips on the BBC Worldwide channel, and they mentioned things like Spooks and TopGear, would carry ads, as well as the news channel only available outside the UK.

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