BBC Will Close Some Websites

Well, if you run 20,000 websites, it won’t hurt too badly to close a few, right? An independent report criticized some Internet ventures of the BBC as being beyond the public-service engagement of the BBC. (The full report is in the Telegraph.) Private sites for years have moaned and groaned as they considered the BBC’s deep pockets an unfair advantage. Understandably. However, in the interest of developing a medium and a public for that medium, I find it not too disturbing if an institution uses its freedom (and the money that comes to it through public funds) to help a new communications channel along at the start. And did and does the BBC ever set standards in presentation, story-telling, design, use of converging media, etc. Here at E-Media Tidbits we certainly have pointed to the BBC many times over the years. Now, of course, 10 years have gone by, and it is time rein in the horses, take a good look around, and decide where the public is served best moving forward. But it was an excellent run as long as it lasted!