The BBC has just announced a partnership with YouTube. The deal will create three BBC branded channels (two in the UK) on the video sharing service:
From the BBC: Clips of new shows and specially commissioned promotional content linked to popular series such as Doctor Who and Life On Mars. At launch, the YouTube community will be able to enjoy a range of specially- created video diaries including David Tennant and Freema Agyeman, who’ll take viewers around the set of Doctor Who; John Simm going back in time for Life On Mars; and Clive Myrie on the streets of the red zone of Baghdad
In other words, it looks like the publicly funded BBC content will be “extra” promotional content, specifically created for distribution online. Ordinary broadcast content will still be distributed through the BBC’s forthcoming iPlayer service.
BBC Worldwide, which is the commercial wing of the BBC, will provide content for a BBC Worldwide branded channel which will include:
… clips from Top Gear, Spooks, The Catherine Tate Show, The Mighty Boosh and a range of factual programmes including those presented by David Attenborough. The channel will include a limited amount of advertising.
Outside the UK, a third BBC branded channel will be available on You Tube:
BBC World, the BBC’s international commercial television channel: Around 30 news clips per day will be offered, with up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world. The advertising-funded clips will be available to users outside the UK only.
The press release also highlights the fact that: “Users will be able to comment on clips, rate them, recommend them to friends and post their own video responses to communicate with the BBC and other viewers.”
The BBC World News channel really is a first; BBC produced content that can be viewed by everyone BUT the licence fee payers in the UK who fund the content in the first place.