The BBC has announced a deal with Wi-Fi hotspot vendor The Cloud to offer free public access to the BBC website and media player at thousands of London locations. The Cloud operates at 7,500 McDonald's, coffee shops and airports around the UK. The companies said in their release today that they expect to offer mobile access soon, as well. See also our coverage yesterday of the new BBC iPlayer.
It's a fascinating deal that I feel very ambivalent about. I can't help but wonder - is this the future of the web? Sponsored access to a walled garden of content seems legitimate, perhaps even a good idea, but it also raises questions of the commercialization of public discourse and Net Neutrality. (Update: Resident smart guy Steve O'Hear points me to PaidContent coverage indicating that the BBC is in fact not paying The Cloud in the deal, The Cloud is seeing this as a promotion to drive paid customers. Fair enough.)
I suppose if you want to access the whole world of interlinked content online, with diverse points of view and interactive communication - then you can just pay for it. Nothing new there, but there's something about a sponsored and very limited web that I feel wary about. How long until US web users can go online for free, as long as it's Fox News they're watching?
Do our UK readers have any thoughts on this from the particular perspective of the BBC as a more-or-less public utility?
Comments
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Fox News is nothing - imagine the Bush Administration FreeWeb: Everything is fine! Be thankful that the gays haven't taken over! Etc.
The question becomes whether the sponsored pockets are actually adding value. This seems like a weird fit, though, given that they're in McD's. I'd pump my fist at free BBC content, while the average teen would probably rather die (except for football news, I guess).
As for private propaganda machines, Fox News is no worse online than on TV or (heaven help us) radio. I know at least two people who just keep it on all day. One of them is doing it to fuel his rage. The other is lost to us, though we have high hopes.
Posted by: JP Voillequé | October 16, 2007 10:13 AM
I can see how this can appear as if it's accessing some kind of "walled garden" but really it's about giving better value to the UK TV Licence payers.
Remember that in the UK most* people pay an annual TV licence that goes towards the funding of the BBC's output whether that is TV shows or web pages. The move to make BBC content available via The Cloud wifi network is really intended to be a further move to make the content that the British public has paid for via the licence even more readily available. The BBC has a remit which strongly emphasises making their content accessible to the licence payers.
I don't see the BBC content being a walled garden but rather that The Cloud network is the wall and this just means that a little piece of the interweb is available without parting with any cash, and as a licence payer that's a nice little benefit. I'm sure any other content provider out there would be free to make similar access deals with The Cloud network!
* I say 'some' because it's only payable by those who have a TV, it's not payable by people who don't own a TV. I'm not intending to enter the territory of debating whether the licence fee model works, but personally I think it's a good thing.
Posted by: Rick Curran | October 16, 2007 10:18 AM
I am pleased with the BBC move...although it won't make much difference to me personally as when I am out and about I have 3G access...but if I could only access one site I would want it to be the Beeb. The BBC is a high quality, impartial, public news organisation which needs to be made available to as many people as possible.
I must admit I would be more concerned if it was a 'so-called' news organisation like Fox that was providing the access.
Posted by: David | October 16, 2007 10:24 AM
Thanks to both of you and Rick in particular - great to hear some informed British opinion. I wonder how many here from the UK will agree with you.
Posted by: Marshall Kirkpatrick | October 16, 2007 10:24 AM
Agree with Rick. BBC content is great to have. In fact it is especially good in a walled garden, because the rest tends to be complete and utter cr@p. I still have an enormous distain for walled gardens (notice the clever avoidance of the 'hate' word).
Let's hope the British telecom/ FON deal becomes 'very' popular.
Posted by: Don Crowley | October 16, 2007 10:30 AM
It is really an issue in the eyes of the BBC's commercial competitors, rather than the public. The public are likely to be positive about the move - since the beeb is so well respected.
No doubt the other national broadcasters (most of whom are desparately playing catch-up with the BBC's new media strategy) will be very pissed of at this perceived favouritism.
Posted by: Andrew Davies | October 16, 2007 4:57 PM
You're right. This does seem to be happening more now. Look at Apple's deal with Starbucks, allowing iPhone users the ability to log on to iTunes for free (but nothing else).
Posted by: Adam | October 16, 2007 8:28 PM
As I said in my first comment, I'm sure other content providers out there would be free to make similar access deals with The Cloud network!
Posted by: Rick Curran | October 17, 2007 12:43 AM