BBC iPlayer - for Adults only

We have learnt that children will join Mac users in being excluded from the BBC iPlayer

We have learnt that children will join Mac users in being exclu
Published on 12th May 2007 at 11:16 by Brian Butterworth
We have learnt that children will join Mac users in being excluded from the BBC iPlayer.

Despite being given approval from the BBC Trust for both CBeebies and CBBC to be included on the iPlayer, the software solution that the BBC have chosen requires users to be aged 18 or over.

This means that despite claiming to be a universal service, anyone under 18 or who is a Apple Mac user will not be able to download or watch programmes.

The BBC wonders why it is loosing younger viewers and the excludes them - the classic early technology adopters - from BBC services!

Does the BBC need an iPlayer rethink?

Your comments are always welcome. Please use the form below to add your thoughts or questions to this page. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Like you say,this makes absoloutely no sense. Why has the BBC dropped kids from their service? Surely if they get used to this service and it stands the test of time, the young generation will be the best market audience, as they will be familar with it? (map)
Posted by ghostdog (10 posts) on Saturday 12 May 2007 7:06PM GB
Please report anything you find offensive. Report this message
ghostdog: The BBC Trust has approved CBeebies and CBBC as part of iPlayer, but the software the BBC management has chosen (KDM+MSDRM+WMP) requires the user to be aged 18 or over.
Posted by Briantistplatinum (21,369 posts) on Monday 14 May 2007 8:53AM GB
Please report anything you find offensive. Report this message
The answer is because the BBC are in Microsoft's back pocket. Erik Huggers, a Microsoft man, has just been appointed the sidearm of BBC Technology's Director, Andrew wossname. Not only that, iPlayer is basically Windows Media 10.
Posted by Dirk Brown (1 post) on Monday 14 May 2007 10:02PM GB
Please report anything you find offensive. Report this message
Dirk Brown: Do you mean Ashley Highfield? I've seen Microsoft do this "effective takeover" thing in 1995 when they did it to BT. Got BT to supply a X25 network for the first version of MSN on Windows 95, BT got a version of Microsoft Word and Excel on the cheap, Microsoft became corporate policy, then Microsoft cancelled the X25 network and said "thank you" and BT was locked into Microsoft for ever. iPlayer is Windows Media Player (10 or 11) plus Microsoft Digital Rights Management (DRM) and KDM (Kontiki Desktop Manager).
Posted by Briantistplatinum (21,369 posts) on Monday 14 May 2007 10:13PM GB
Please report anything you find offensive. Report this message
Oops my mistake. BBC should still not have agreed to such conditions, though. (map)
Posted by ghostdog (10 posts) on Saturday 19 May 2007 3:38PM GB
Please report anything you find offensive. Report this message
ghostdog: Couldn't agree more, it's a disgrace.
Posted by Briantistplatinum (21,369 posts) on Saturday 19 May 2007 5:28PM GB
Please report anything you find offensive. Report this message
Personally I think they do need to have some age limit, but not excluding under 18 completely. There is a watershed on TV, so there should be a "watershed" with on demand, where there is an age restriction on certain programs.
Posted by Rob (1 post) on Sunday 20 May 2007 11:03AM GB
Please report anything you find offensive. Report this message
Rob: The point is that children have been essentially excluded by the constraint of technology, not by parental choice. Personally, I believe that it's the parent's responsibilty to check the content... (map)
Posted by ghostdog (1 post) on Sunday 20 May 2007 12:41PM GB
Please report anything you find offensive. Report this message
updates
Automatic update every 5 minutes
Please post a question, answer or comment
  • Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.