http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...092800532.html
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BBC teams up with Microsoft for digital future
By Kate Holton
Reuters
Thursday, September 28, 2006; 9:09 AM
LONDON (Reuters) - The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC.UL) is teaming up with Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O) to help develop the next generation of Internet services for the world's biggest public broadcaster.
BBC chief Mark Thompson met Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates in Seattle on Wednesday to sign the non-exclusive memorandum of understanding and discuss the BBC's digital strategy.
The companies said on Thursday they would examine plans for the BBC's vast online archive, ways to share its programming and a re-invented BBC Web site in the form of Web 2.0 -- the second generation of Internet-based services.
"Microsoft's strength is in driving digital innovation and our vision is to open up rich, new consumer experiences that allow people to enjoy digital content anytime, anywhere and on any device," Gates said.
"This vision fits squarely with the BBC's charter to lead the industry in delivering content that is compelling and accessible."
Thompson said the BBC needed to link up with leading technology companies to put it in a strong position to embrace the creative challenges of the digital future.
"We are currently witnessing unprecedented rates of change in technology and audience expectations," he said.
A spokeswoman for the BBC said Thompson and the BBC's director of new media and technology, Ashley Highfield, were in the United States to meet several other technology companies.
Highfield said the BBC needed to work with as many companies as possible in this sector to ensure its programs and content are enjoyed by the widest possible audience.
The statement said any actual procurements of new technology or a launch of new services by the public broadcaster would be subject to the usual regulatory approval.
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Comment: Kiss the BBC's free and open-source advocacy good-bye along with their open-source codec development and any hope of getting BBC content in a free/open-source codec.
This is a major defeat.
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