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The BBC has said “thank you” to the thousands of YouTube users who’ve racked up over 60,000 views of its new commercial brainchild ‘Worldwide.’ Billed as an entertainment channel, it differs from two other BBC-branded channels – now also live on the video-sharing website - by having the sole aim of making money. It is available to YouTube users worldwide and in the UK, and features clips from Top Gear, Spooks and The Mighty Boosh, alongside a limited number of adverts. The profits from the nascent service will be returned to the corporation for “investment in new programming,” the BBC said, concluding a deal with the Google-owned portal on Friday. It added that the aim of BBC Worldwide, and its two accompanying channels, is to bring the best of British TV to a “new audience” - presumably the internet-savvy YouTube-using generation. This new audience will switch on to the content not only through the net TV channels, but also through “the commercial iPlayer and the commercialisation of international traffic to bbc.co.uk.” Coupled with the pursuit of advertising on a channel designed to make money, such wording is causing analysts to speculate about the goings-on inside the public service broadcaster. Chris Khouri, a media expert at Datamonitor, said: “The move adds weight to the argument that the BBC is moving away from its position as a publicly funded broadcaster and becoming a more commercially focused organisation.” Analysts at US-based MarketWatch agreed: “The plan is also likely to be controversial in the UK where the BBC has been criticised by rivals for extending its footprint too far into commercial territory.” For the most part, however, Khouri sees the YouTube partnership as a way the BBC can “use the platform as a promotions vehicle rather than as a platform to generate substantial revenue.” An initial reading suggests the promotions exercise appears to be in full swing, with executives at Worldwide issuing an online thank you note to the 2,000-odd subscribers to Worldwide. Some of the 60,700 viewings have resulted in calls for the clips to be longer – some last less than a minute – or more of one programme, for less of another. But most postings are positive. “Thanks to everyone who has visited our channel, watched our videos and commented on them,” BBC Worldwide replied. “We will be adding further content to the channel going forward and hope you continue to enjoy it (and yes, some of the additional content will be Top Gear).” Under the YouTube deal, the site will also host BBC News – a channel that will show 30 or so news clips a day for Web users outside the UK. It will be funded by advertisers. The third channel – ‘BBC’ is the public service face of the broadcaster, as viewers can watch shows funded by the licence fee like Doctor Who and Life of Mars, with video diaries and extras, but without adverts. Despite only featuring half the number of videos available on Worldwide, it is currently the most popular channel out of the trio, having gained 2,600 subscribers from just over 82,000 viewings. Mark Thompson, director-general of the BBC, believes it is “essential” that BBC connects with wider audiences through the “key gateway” that is YouTube. Mar 5, 2007 Email this article Printer friendly page Previous Page
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