Public broadcasters have the "we known best" attitude [LWN.net]

Public broadcasters have the "we known best" attitude

Posted Feb 19, 2007 8:37 UTC (Mon) by eru (subscriber, #2753)
Parent article: Save the BBC from Windows DRM! (Linux Journal)

Here in Finland our local publicly funded broadcaster (supported by TV fees, like BBC) went with Windows codecs when it launched last year an archive of its old TV programs (http://www.yle.fi/elavaarkisto/). The expected uproar of free software users ensued, followed by the usual explanations how the MS codecs are the only cost-effective way (works best, they supposedly would have to get people who understand open formats and then would have to provide the material in multiple formats), and allows DRM (which they currently don't use but might want to in the future for some material and open formats of course won't support any of that). I don't really expect the sitation to improve. The traditional attitude of institutions like YLE and BBC is that they broadcast, you either listen or don't. Listener feedback would have to be very dramatic to have any effect, there just isn't enough non-Windows users to make a difference.

That attitide just accelerates their demise in the face of multiple competing media.

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Public broadcasters have the "we known best" attitude

Posted Feb 19, 2007 12:27 UTC (Mon) by lamikr (guest, #2289) [Link]

Do you know has there been any groups attempts to get the YLE to switch their minds from this?

I believe that Mikael Junger is the lead man pushing the idea of internet television in YLE, nothing bad it that. Unfortunately worked in Microsoft before he was selected to chief executive of YLE, so he may still has some fixations to Microsoft related technologies in his mind. So to get any progress on this, there would be needed some very easy "clip, convert and push " free media technology to get this accepted...

Board of YLE is selected among the people in the finish parliament, and there will be a parliament elections in this spring, so this could be the another way to create some pressure on this. I think it would be nice to see some politicians saying their opinions considering the open source and open media related issues. Unfortunately this does not belong to one of the hot topics, actually J.Kasvi seems to be the only politician people I know, that I know who even try to raise this topic up.

Mika

Public broadcasters have the "we known best" attitude

Posted Feb 19, 2007 14:01 UTC (Mon) by eru (subscriber, #2753) [Link]

Do you know has there been any groups attempts to get the YLE to switch their minds from this?

I don't known. EFFI (Electronic Frontier Finland) did set up a web page discussing open video formats shortly after YLE started their archive (see http://www.effi.org/sananvapaus/videotiedostomuoto.html), so one would assume they also sent their opinion to YLE. Personally I did give a piece of my mind on their feedback form (very politely), but never got any acknowledgement anyone even read it.

To to get any progress on this, there would be needed some very easy "clip, convert and push " free media technology to get this accepted...

Yes. In the Windows world, people put up with all the myriad proprietary codecs because they either are supplied with the OS (like WMV, various Cinepac and Indeo version etc), or easy to install from the vendor site, with just a point and a click. I wonder if there is any truly free-as-in-freedom codec + media player for Windows that is this easy? If not, convincing YLE and the like is that much harder. They don't want to be in the software distribution and support business, even if it is free software.

See also http://www.vaalimasinointi.org/. (Too bad I cannot stomach voting for the liberalistic party, even if these otherwise great guys are really independents. They are still running on its list, so unless they are the top vote-gatherers on their list, my vote might wind up benefiting some right-wing nut).