(first, apologies because I know this entry is old but!)

I have to say I agree with the BBC’s decision to block international access to it’s iplayer service. It’s not like movies at all, because movies have an international distibution system in the form of cinema whereas television is still based on exactly that–the television. In a cinema you pay for your ticket and the profit money goes back into making more movies. Everyone around the world is helping the industry improve and expand.

Television is not like that. You do not “buy a ticket” to watch a show on TV, it’s a national service paid for by advertising revenue. Most advertising in the UK is for products or services available in the UK only so exposure to Viewer X in Germany will not inspire companies to pay more to advertise their products on that particular TV channel to offset the cost of international bandwidth demand on their web service.

This basically means the TV channel has no reason whatsoever to expend their resources costing themselves money to allow foreign visitors to view their programming. It’s a waste in their eyes, they have no reason to provide a service to non-Brits as it costs them money and has zero profit.

The BBC iPlayer is similar but the problem here isn’t about cost to the BBC it’s now about cost to the British public.

We in the UK have to pay for a TV licence which entirely funds the BBC and their service, they have no advertising whatsoever. Letting everyone else in the world watch for free what we have to pay for is a ridiculous idea; it’s a kick in the teeth to Brits to make us pay while foreigners watch free. I would be perfectly happy if there was a monthly fee equivalent to the TV licence that foreign visitors could pay to use iplayer but expecting it for free is very unfair because technically we are not getting it for free either.

In fact, I think it would be a great idea to offer a subscription to iplayer for non-UK residents because it adds more money to the TV licence pot which would improve programming for Brits.

But really, don’t expect something free from a country that makes it’s own citizens pay for it. That’s just–well–selfish!

@Saz: Hello and welcome to my orange universe. Never mind the age of this posting - it’s still relevant, because I still can’t use the iPlayer! Damn it …

And I have to disagree!

The TV business is a lot like the movie business. Especially the BBC sells many programs / series to other nations. That also includes many documentaries and political stuff.

So there is a large global market for BBC stuff.

I have applauded the British People for financing the BBC - also for foreigners. Many radio programs and all the websites are globally available and free.

I totally understand your point about YOU giving others a free ride. But I would also consider these points: even in our day and age the BBC is one of the few good and neutral sources for many people. So by financing well made news, websites, TV and radio you help to improve the global situation (I am not kidding).

I wouldn’t mind paying for some BBC services - or a normal TV license - but that option ain’t available either.

Overall we all suffer from a transitional period in big media. All these movie studios, music publishers and broadcasters haven’t figured out the intranets - and how to charge for their stuff.

I hope that they work out a global and fair way to pay and watch stuff. Like I said, I don’t mind paying for good stuff like from the BBC.

And I hope you don’t shot me the next time I visit your country?