Dispute between Microsoft and BBC over charging for iPlayer via Xbox Live
The BBC iPlayer is a popular streaming service available in the U.K. The service has been extremely successful with millions of users utilizing the iPlayer on a weekly basis. The service was set to arrive on Microsoft’s home console the Xbox 360. However, it seems like this service may not make it to the console due to a dispute.
The iPlayer is a free service offered by the BBC TV productions. The service is funded via television licensing fees from the United Kingdom. The fees are normally paid by those wanting to watch television transmissions in the U.K.
According to the Telegraph, plans to make the BBC iPlayer available on the Xbox 360 over in the U.K. may be on hold indefinitely due to a dispute between Microsoft and the BBC. The dispute came about due to the fact that Microsoft wants to make the iPlayer only available to those who pay a subscription cost for the Xbox Live Gold service.
Those who do not subscribe to Xbox Live would not be able to access BBC’s iPlayer.
A source close to the BBC stated:
Microsoft only wants to offer its users access to platforms it can charge for as this is the model it is pursuing. It wants to ensure that only those paying for Xbox Live Gold accounts can access its additional content services and even then there is usually a charge on top to get access to those. For example, to access the Sky Player on Xbox, you have to pay for a Gold subscription as well as a Sky subscription.
The source further added:
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.
Apparently, the BBC cannot allow Microsoft to charge the British public to pay to access the iPlayer as they are already being charged via the license fees.
The iPlayer service was first made available for the PS3 late last year. The service has been extremely successful as the PS3 accounts for nearly six percent of all iPlayer traffic and is considered the second most popular platform for the service. The service has also been made available on the Nintendo’s Wii. It will be interesting to see if both companies can come to some sort of compromise eventually as Microsoft has been aggressive with its Gold level subscription service.
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November 30th, 2009
I say good on the BBC. There is no reason for MS not to offer the service to Silver members as well.
December 20th, 2009
Why be in hock to a provider (Xbox Live) that would seek to deny you free content?
Buy a playstation or a wii – simple as.