All posts by Mark W
Below are all of Mark W's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Personally I think Sky should pay the BBC and itv to have their EPG data, not the other way around. Even though BBC/itv is provided free to air, Sky does sell access to BBC and itv channels via its equipment as part of its package, so they should pay "re-transmission fees" - even if it is only programme data. If the UK PSBs did gang up on Sky and demand that Sky pays them or they'll ask Sky to delist their channels from the EPG in their entirety - and carried through with that threat - I'm sure that there will be an awful lot of Sky subscribers who will be upset that they've lost access to the main channels they watch. Sky boxes would be hacked and all kinds of workaround be advertised on how people can get their "lost" channels back. Subscribers may choose not to renew. The PSB's can remind viewers that Sky isn't their only option. Personally I think that Sky only gains by having the PSB channels in their guide. After all, didn't TV listing magazines (after Radio Times and TV Times lost their listings monopoly) have to pay to get the schedules? The EPG is effectively today's Radio Times.
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Wednesday 9 December 2015 6:25PM
If Auntie needs to remind viewers that they're paying for the programme that they're watching then adding DOGs to all channels wouldn't be too bad, especially if it is discrete. Being here in the USA constantly reminds me how UK broadcasting in general is better than broadcasting here. Nearly all "programs" broadcast on US public television are preceded by "underwriting messages" (short adverts with neutral, non promotional language) and the message "And contributions (to your PBS station / station name) by viewers like you - thank you!" It's intended to remind viewers that it's charitable donations to the station that they're able to enjoy the programme they're watching. A short message on the lines of "Funding for EastEnders is provided by the people of the UK via the TV Licence. Thank you!" might be a bit crass but if this thing was aired at the start of each programme (yes, including the news) it would certainly drive the message home that they're paying for the programming they enjoy through the licence.