Peer-to-peer distribution will help CBC avoid oblivion

Fans and pundits alike are lauding the CBC's experimental distribution of prime-time programming over peer-to-peer file sharing protocol Bit Torrent. In particular, an Ottawa-based Internet policy lawyer says the progressive move to unfettered online distribution fits perfectly with the public broadcaster's mandate and will help keep it from becoming obsolete. "In the day of 300-channel television and all the content you can get over the Internet, oblivion is a bigger threat than unpaid consumption for people like the CBC," says David Fewer, staff counsel at the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic. "So they should be anxious to find ways to capitalize on the technologies available over the Internet today." Fewer is surprised broadcasters in general have been so slow to adopt open online distribution methods. "Television should be more imaginative in coming up with ways to monetize Internet-based distribution because they've already taken one step down that path by using an advertising-based model to monetize content," he says. But the move to online distribution should be even more natural for public broadcasters. "I'm always a little frustrated that there's this mantra that have got to protect their content," he adds. "I would think the CBC would be doing everything that it can to get its content in front of Canadian eyes." The CBC has been experimenting with alternative online distribution for a while. As Canadian Communications Reports reported in November, the public broadcaster has been posting programming on YouTube since last spring. But there are limitations. The programs placed on YouTube tend to be ones that were produced in-house by the CBC, which helps avoid external rights issues. Similarly, the experiment with Bit Torrent is limited to the CBC-produced reality show Canada's Next Great Prime Minister. While CBC-produced content is easier to distribute online because there are fewer external rights to consider, the full value of Internet distribution won't be realized until a broader spectrum of programming is made available. "On just about any distribution model people have to get paid for content, but that just means you have to design programming with flexible distribution in mind to make sure you're covered. It's a little bit of foresight and a little bit of imagination," says Fewer. "I don't mean to trivialize the hurdles, but let's face it, this is the public broadcaster and these are Canadian tax dollars ultimately. Let's maximize the return to Canadians, and that return isn't always measured in dollars and cents." Fans praise Bit Torrent experiment Almost as soon as CBC announced it was placing Canada's Next Great Prime Minister online, praise for the move started to pour in on the show's message board. The following are a few examples of the positive feedback: "Outstanding decision! You'll get a great bump from young Canadian viewers and viewers outside Canada (like me, no CBC in Norway)....All this will take is some creativity from the sales department to embed marketing opportunities in the content." "Brilliant Idea. With no access to the CBC without a television, being able to download and watch shows over the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Keep being progressive CBC!" "Awesome move CBC! I get all my TV through Bit Torrent. It is about time that a broadcaster moved their business model in line with customer demands. Price, Product, Place, Promotion. Right? Heck, I would even watch embedded commercials if you do this. It is just about having the video when and how I want it."

Peer-to-peer distribution will help CBC avoid oblivion

Broadcast | March 27, 2008

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