BBC big u-turn?

[pov oatcakes]

The gist of it is that the BBC stays FTV , and might come to a middle offer of around £40 miilion (up £5 miilion) for a 5 year deal.

The BBCs directors may tell Grek Dyke that this is the offer they must take.

An offical adviser has told the governors that Skys EPG offer is ''great value'' so that will put pressure on Greg to make a decison as keeping the channels where they are will be benefical to the BBC rather than being relagted lower down the EPG.

Sky has offerred to defer neogociations for another month with the BBC while they iron out everything but at the moment the 30th of May is stil the ''offical'' date set.

Quote from medigaurdian ''The BBC was also pressed on the issue of the overspill of its broadcasts to Europe, even with the tighter footprint of the new Astra satellites Disney's representative expressed the company's concerns, pointing out that a Brussels magazine had already printed instructions of how to access the BBC for free.''


what do you think of this?

 

[roksem]

Dont see the argument from Disney ref Brussels magazine
publishing how to receive the beeb on 2d.
95% of Belgium and Holland receive both bbc 1/2 on cable
and infact itv is distributed via cable in most of flanders.

 

[DonOne]

Roksem,

Is it "Free" to view on cable or by subscription

It will be free to view on 2d !!!! along with CBBC & CBeebies

That's what Disney are complaining about )(-red

 

[2old4this]

In the Netherlands, cable subscribers pay next to nothing for BBC1 & BBC2. It's there in every package across the entire country (which is now 95% cabled), and even the full package only costs a few pounds per month. In fact, we also get BBC-World which even the British don't. And BBC-Prime is now in the standard Satellite package. So the message is clear: if any Brits want more BBC, they should move abroad...

The BBC reception in NL has an interesting history. It was established originally by some enterprising souls setting up a large antenna on the coast and simply piping it inland. That was in the days before TV companies worried too much about such things. BBC did later negotiate some kind of deal to make it official, but they get virtually nothing from it. It was more a token thing because they recognised they can't stop it. I don't think there are any laws governing the reception of unencrypted signals. In the rest of Europe it's a perfectly normal for at least border areas to be sharing each others' terrestrial signals.

There are periodic murmurings about this changing. Many industry observers think that eventually BBC will have to be removed from cable, but for the time being BBC seems not too bothered.

By the way, we Dutch pay an obligatory TV & Radio licence fee which is quite high, and since a few years ago collected as part of our income tax (so it's impossible to avoid paying - even if you don't have a TV or radio). But none of the revenue from that goes to the BBC.

2old

 

[jcf]

What is the lastest ref the Astra/BBC U Turn?
We live in south east Norway and are frequent listeners to radio 4 and have no interest in TV channels. If the change is made how big a dish would I need and could I still use my existing decoder? Draw the line at building Joderell Bank in my back garden though.
Or are we going to have to go over to second rate Internet quality and pay the price?

Rabid

 

[Richardson]

Join the club! If you live in south-western Norway you might just be lucky:

http://www.satcodx-op.com/AST/eng/coverage.cgi?AST02DKB

Otherwise, you'll have to be content with low-quality internet streams (44 kbps). Many expats have protested about the fact that the BBC have decided to discontinue broadcasting the domestic radio channels to the whole of Europe from the end of May, but Greg Dyke seems determined to put a stop to this particular "overspill", as he calls it -- once and for all.

The BFBS carry some Radio 4 programmes (including The Archers!) and fortunately they're on a pan-European transponder on Eutelsat W3:

http://www.satcodx-op.com/EUT/eng/coverage.cgi?EUT0W3KS

The listings (for what they're worth!) are at:

http://www.ssvc.com/bfbs/radio/bfbs2/listings.htm

Information about big dishes here:

http://www.astra2d.cjb.net/

 

[gazza]

anybody know does the delay in moving to fta also affect the bbc moving it's services to 2d.

this is a key factor for most current overseas viewers as it is the reduced strength of this bird that the bbc were hoping would enable them to braodcatd fta without too much spill into europe.

This would certainly effect viewers outside the range of 2d regardless of fta broadcasts or not

 

[puffin]

Originally posted by jcf
What is the lastest ref the Astra/BBC U Turn?
We live in south east Norway and are frequent listeners to radio 4 and have no interest in TV channels. If the change is made how big a dish would I need and could I still use my existing decoder? Draw the line at building Joderell Bank in my back garden though.
Or are we going to have to go over to second rate Internet quality and pay the price?

Rabid

Hi
When you say south east Norway: Is that the Oslo region? If so you should be able to get 2D with a dish smaller than Joderell Bank. To get the horizontal trsp 1,2m or better 1,35m with a good digibox (Panasonic 30 is the best) you should get results. If the current BBC's test stay the same the only channel that would end up on a vertical trsp (apart from the interactive service) is BBC one London.

cheers
Puffin

 

[expat2]

Everybody knows that there is a problem of copyright in choosing
Astra2D for the BBC channels, but the BBC management should have an open mind and let's open the gates in Europe.. except for the illegal immigrant!!!!!of course

 

[Channel Hopper]

The choice is with the person receiving the channels, either move closer to the footprint centre, or spend some cash on a bigger dish.

The plans for FTA channels is a good one from the BBC. I cannot criticise them for ensuring the beam of broadcast is narrowed to keep the copyright paperwork in order

This is an enthusiasts forum and the true hobbyist knows that whilst cheap is good, nothing is free forever.

 

[expat2]

I do not want to get BBC free, my wife is British and we have a house in UK and pay for the BBC licence and SKY by direct debit (it's NOT a pirate card), but now and then we live in Italy and I take along (even if it's not legal) my SKY card.
That's all

 

[Channel Hopper]

Sounds like you are going to have to fork out on a (relatively) large dish then, or buy a long play VCR and set it before you go abroad

 

[Maxi 1]

Ok Channel Hopper.

Do you work for the BBC.

You seem to have chip on shoulder or a problem with us brits who need to work and take our familys abroad.

Do you not agree that we should be able to keep a major part of heritage and for the benefit of our children even if we have to pay for it.

Who says that we wont be back in Britian but for the mean time it is important to stay in tune with home.

Please dont mention an alternative such as BBC prime or BBc world as those channels are an insult to us Brits abroad we deserve to be allowed to have the BBC even if we need to pay more the licence.

Maxi 1

 

[rolfw]

Please chaps, we don't want to turn this into an argument, what CH is doing is stating the facts Maxi 1, the BBC are completely within their rights to restrict the footprint of their transmissions and under no compulsion to service the expatriate community with the UK service. In fact they are probably breaking several copy right agreements transmitting as they do to subscribers out of area (or did as is now the case)

If I were an expat, living out of range I'm sure that I would be equally as miffed, but not sure how your arguement about paying the lcence stands up, the licence only allows you to operate TV viewing equipment in the UK, please don't shoot the messenger, even if he doth speak with tongue firmly in cheek on occasions. ;)

 

[Channel Hopper]

Maybe Expat2 and Maxi1 could combine their two dishes together ?

Seriously, I am sorry to hear so many people have to lose their beloved TV channels unless they pay for larger outdoor equipment.

But just think if the BBC had originally gone FTA at launch like all the others on Astra 2 and then went on the shared platform with specific equipment for recpetion of Videoguard. Even if the footprint became better for Spain and the other regions, the
delays on obtaining boxes, FTV cards would be illegal to ship out, programme material would probably get worse rather then better owing to more funds required for the funding of the EPG and licenses to BSKYB

In conclusion, it would STILL cause people upset. The BBC is swimming against the tide on this one, but the end result will hopefully be an improvement to the service by virtue of better funding.

(and I do not work for the BBC, I tried once and they refused to employ me, their loss methinks)