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BBC not happy with Microsoft's plans to charge for iPlayer

by Steven Williamson on 30 November 2009, 11:21

Tags: BBC, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Xbox 360

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The BBC iPlayer has enjoyed successful launches on both Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii recently, but it looks unlikely to make the transition to Microsoft's Xbox 360.

Plans to bring the BBC iPlayer to Xbox 360 have hit a stumbling block due to Microsoft's plan to charge a fee for using the service, claims the Telegraph.

A source claiming to be "close to the BBC's Future Media and Technology department," said:

"Microsoft only wants to offer its users access to platforms it can charge for as this is the model it is pursuing." He's referring to the Xbox Live Gold subscription in which users pay a year to access premium content and features. The iPlayer was going to be made available to gold subscribers only, but the BBC say that it would contravene its current policy, which states that its audience already pay for its services via the license fee and shouldn't be charged extra.

"This does not fit with the BBC's model and Microsoft will not budge at the moment. It is really frustrating for those involved on the BBC side who want to make sure iPlayer is rolled out on as many popular entertainment platforms as possible," said the source.

According to reports, the PS3 now accounts for 6% of all iPlayer traffic and is the second most popular platform used to access the service, even more popular than the Mac.


HEXUS Forums :: 16 Comments

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I'm guessing it wont be long before Microsoft do back down… seems silly not to and allow extra features to their rivals.

Right, on a totally unrelated note….

Much as I love Hexus and understand that they need to get revenue from somewhere, is it really neccessary to have 7 of those annoying green advertising links in such a small article. There is only one sentence which doesn't have one! I found myself unable to move my mouse without some silly little video popping up.

Is there any way of disabling these within my browser?

EDIT: Just re-loaded the page and there are now only 4 of these links, so I was just unlucky the first time, but still - any way of turning them off?
Yes there is, make sure your logged into the other parts of the site(not just forum, check the right side of article), iirc that disables the popup ads for registered users :).
So its free on the Wii and PS3 and you want to put limits on it with the Xbox? Smart move MS! No web browser either. One would almost think microsoft wants to be last on the feature list!
cheesemp
So its free on the Wii and PS3 and you want to put limits on it with the Xbox? Smart move MS! No web browser either. One would almost think microsoft wants to be last on the feature list!

I try to avoid IE as much as i can :cool:
BBC say that it would contravene its current policy, which states that its audience already pay for its services via the license fee and shouldn't be charged extra

Damn right, just lol at MS with this stance.