The BBC’s Trust, the organization set up to police the BBC’s activity, has decided that the BBC iPlayer can go ahead and launch this autumn. The iPlayer is designed to allow BBC made content to be shipped free to any UK license payer, over the internet, using a P2P client supplied by Kontiki. In fact it can also go further afield, to non-UK residents, but only if they agree to pay for it.
The BBC Trust had previously asked for comments from the public and from competing media companies and the plan drew criticism, from the telecoms regulator Ofcom in particular, for allowing the online distribution of entire TV series which it refers to as ‘Series Stacking,’ which it said should not be allowed for long running soap operas. This would stop rival paid online services from developing, it argued.
It also raised issues about DRM free music, which could form the basis of MP3 collections and inhibit the growth of paid for online music services.
The BBC Trust said that 10,500 individuals and organizations had responded to the consultation and that it had upheld modifications to the original proposals taking out “Series stacking” book readings and classical music, and the Trust will conduct six-monthly audits on progress.