After the exciting announcement of an iPhone app made by the BBC, a dampener has been announced amid protests from the Newspaper Publishing Association. The BBC Trust is now looking into the objections and has ordered an investigation. It has also asked BBC to put on hold its plans and ensure that it gets its facts right.
The contention is that the market is still in an early stage for such an ambitious launch and the market segment may be damaged if more research is not conducted. BBC had announced earlier that it was offering mobile iPhone apps that would include content from news websites and 5 Live radio. The access was aimed to be live and in real time giving the consumer a whole new experience of live coverage on an instant basis.
Following the announcement, there was a buzz in Internet with blogs and videos applauding the free upload and sharing of news and content. Blackberry users and other smart phones can also subscribe to these services in addition to iPhone users. While BBC intended to capture a large market segment, its new scheme has not gone down well with the publishing news industry that foresees a threat to its survival. It is making sure that BBC puts in a regulatory turmoil and buys time to explore other possibilities.
In an economy where there is a fair chance for all, it remains to be seen if these temporary restrictions will make way for a digital freeway in the years to come. BBC spokesperson had commented that free access to downloads from news and sports websites would make the service more user-friendly.
The seemingly innocuous access would be a start to more exciting things and calls for a regulatory authority to look into future implications. The customer will have to wait a little more for these free goodies to become the order of the day. Meanwhile the Newspaper Publishing Association has reiterated its right to ask for clarifications and make sure that no one is affected in the process.
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