BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix • Hacker News Board

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#61

Post by lifeisstillgood » Fri, May 03, 2019, 3:12 PM UTC

albertgoeswoof wrote: post #51

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #4

But ... why should the Beeb be the one owning the streaming app on my phone. I (re)watch Doctor Who episodes on Netflix (or amazon or whatever). I dont care what device I watch on, I just want to watch content I want. Which is kind of the point. (Keep) making great content. Worry less about the streaming client.

netflix/amazon aren't streaming clients, they are content producers. Most of the stuff on netflix and prime now seems to be made by them.

Well the Beebwas never going to compete with billions of dollars of borrowed cash ploughed into anything with a pulse. If this is "can the beeb compete with the new production houses of Netflix / Amazon /Disney" then no is the answer. If its about the market share of iPlayer in the Uk (which is mentioned) then it may have been a different kettle of fish.

But really - they were massively outspent. Yet programmes like David Attenborough's Planet are top rated shows on their rivals. To my mind that is the Beebs strength and should stay that way.

Focus on being a trusted global provider of high quality programming. Dont try and be the Saturday night entertainment for 18-24 year olds.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#62

Post by Daviey » Fri, May 03, 2019, 7:20 PM UTC

johnnycab wrote: post #54

morrbo wrote: post #5

Personally I kind of agree. Other than storage and traffic considerations I cannot see why the entire BBC archive is not available online. It seems stupid to me that we have literally 50+ years of content, documentaries, panel shows, etc. Which could all easily be put online as they are the BBC's content and have been paid for by the British people already. I understand that this might be overkill but I definitely fi…

>I definitely find myself wanting to watch older episodes of things like would I lie to you or Rhod Gilbert's work experience or HIGNFY or some other show which disappeared long ago for no real reason. You can watch selected re-runs from an archive of older content on Dave[1]. >If the BBC can solve that they have my business and I'm sure a lot of overseas business too I am not sure what you mean by they have my busin…

> unless you can prove otherwise

Important clarification, the onus is on the TV licensing agency to prove you did watch TV whilst it is being broadcast or you use iplayer. It is not for the member of public to prove they do not.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#63

Post by Daviey » Fri, May 03, 2019, 7:26 PM UTC

SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #45

dpwm wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe Capita are still mostly responsible for the letter-sending – and unfortunately I suspect the bullying tactics work. [0] https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-about-tv-licensing-A...

We have a large collection of these letters pinned to the wall at our office. Not sure how they got our address but we don't watch broadcast TV so of course don't need a TV license. They're more than welcome to visit anytime to confirm. I'd much rather the money that I (willingly) pay for my home TV license went towards improving content and broadcast infrastructure than going straight into the pockets of utter scum…

I suspect someone in your office got a TV delivered to work, rather than their home address. Prior to June 2013, dealers that sold TV's had to notify the TV licensing agency as per The Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1967.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#64

Post by repolfx » Sat, May 04, 2019, 4:33 PM UTC

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #61

albertgoeswoof wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

netflix/amazon aren't streaming clients, they are content producers. Most of the stuff on netflix and prime now seems to be made by them.

Well the Beebwas never going to compete with billions of dollars of borrowed cash ploughed into anything with a pulse. If this is "can the beeb compete with the new production houses of Netflix / Amazon /Disney" then no is the answer. If its about the market share of iPlayer in the Uk (which is mentioned) then it may have been a different kettle of fish. But really - they were massively outspent. Yet programmes like…

Why not? BBC has an operating budget of about 6 billion dollars a year. It has over 20,000 employees - it's enormous and that money isn't borrowed, it's simply given to them by legal fiat.

The BBC is thus in a stronger financial position than Netflix, which ultimately must yield RoI and has been around far less time, so has had less cumulative spend on content. Whilst Netflix has a larger content budget for now, it's only approx 2x the BBC's spend.

In reality the BBC is outcompeted because it's not a global operation, because it spends a lot of money on non-internet streaming things like radio and news, because its not really exposed to competitive pressure except in the most indirect ways, and because they'd rather sell shows to foreign firms than keep the rights, buy more rights and stream internationally.

Re: BBC admits iPlayer has lost streaming fight with Netflix

#65

Post by lifeisstillgood » Sun, May 05, 2019, 10:56 AM UTC

repolfx wrote: post #64

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well the Beebwas never going to compete with billions of dollars of borrowed cash ploughed into anything with a pulse. If this is "can the beeb compete with the new production houses of Netflix / Amazon /Disney" then no is the answer. If its about the market share of iPlayer in the Uk (which is mentioned) then it may have been a different kettle of fish. But really - they were massively outspent. Yet programmes like…

Why not? BBC has an operating budget of about 6 billion dollars a year. It has over 20,000 employees - it's enormous and that money isn't borrowed, it's simply given to them by legal fiat. The BBC is thus in a stronger financial position than Netflix, which ultimately must yield RoI and has been around far less time, so has had less cumulative spend on content. Whilst Netflix has a larger content budget for now, it's…

Hmmmmm ....

Ok I had not seen it that way.