Hooray BBC. Now make it country agnostic and I’ll be jumping for joy!

I firmly believe that by not providing media to international customers, the BBC is missing out on the monetization of a giant market. It’s ridiculous for them to force Britains to pay a license fee that could easily be paid by an international market. Whether its a partnership with Zudeo — allowing on demand content — or a subscription based service through Real that would allow streaming of the BBC television stations, the BBC could take its content online for those international viewers who do not get BBC content through conventional methods.

Of course though, the BBC is a non-profit organization. They don’t need to (and probably cannot) increase profits, they just need to provide a quality service. They need to make ends meet, and the fees in the UK do that now. Until they need to monetize internationally, they won’t (although they have considered ads online in the past… hopefully that doesn’t come to fruition).

I received the following comment on YouMakeMedia today. Comments like these are the reason I love blogging.

You rock! Thank you!

I got my microphone, I downloaded Audicity and I had NO idea what to do until I read part one of your starting a podcast show.

I could have cried because but for you,I’d be sitting staring at my screen feeling like an idiot. Instead, within five minutes of reading your instructions, I was feeling like a pro with my first recording. Obviously, I’m not in two minutes. But when the learning curve is as steep as mine, hey, I can feel like a pro very easily!

Can’t wait to read parts two and three!
Michelle

I use the UK version. If someone sends me a link formatted for the international version, you should recognize this and forward me to the proper place.

In fact, why do you need multiple versions of links? That in itself is strange.

That is all.

Chris

Hi BBC,

I dunno about you guys, but when I read RSS feeds, I like to see the all of the content. I know you have to preserve page views and hits and that stuff… but it would be really cool it if you started offering full feeds.

kthx,
your friend Chris

I have a tremendous distate for American media. Our media is driven on star power. The more rich and famous you are, the more coverage you get. It isn’t necessarily their fault, they are businesses. If the people want stars (and they most certainly do), the media gives it. I won’t get into my philosophies in this area, but my general feeling about this is disgust. I think Americans intentionally overlook critical issues because of laziness and a feeling of hopelessness that is projected by (guess…) the media. I digress.

Yesterday, an American died: Anna Nicole Smith. Smith was a model. She modeled for Playboy. She married a man who was 63 years older than her for his money. She was a reality television actress. A prime example of a successful American.

Media coverage was sickeningly omnipresent. ThinkProgress analyzed the major media networks, and discovered a disgusting number of references to Smith’s death in comparison to the ongoing war in Iraq - an issue that is far more relevant and has much greater impact not only to Americans but to the world at large.

Political blog Attytood posted a scathing post yesterday mocking the public’s infatuation with stars, lined with a touching tribute to a young women who died yesterday in the Iraq War. Jennifer Parcell was 20 years old. A 2004 graduate of her local high school in Maryland, Parcell enlisted in the military with her brother, and was known by family and friends as a “go-getter”. Ms. Parcell was the recipient of the Humanitarian Service Medal for the efforts that she and her unit made in helping with Pakistani earthquake recovery.

Jennifer Parcell died yesterday, supporting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq.

The world will never know.

Are the networks aware of their mistake? I sure hope. NBC has pointed out onair and online that perhaps they took things a bit too far. Damned right - Americans need to get their priorities in order, and I’m looking to the media to lead the way.