BBC to put programs online

THE ARTICLE The British Broadcasting Corporation hopes to start a new service next year that will make its TV programs available on the Internet. Web surfers will be able to download television and radio programs up to a week after they were originally aired. Director General Mark Thompson unveiled the plans for the service, provisionally called “MyBBCPlayer”, at the Edinburgh International Television Festival on Saturday. The plan is central to the BBC’s strategy to use the Internet to increase its global presence and reach people all over the world. He did not disclose whether viewers would have to pay a fee to download the programs. Mr. Thompson is seeking new ways to utilize the Internet. He said: “Every creative leader in the BBC is wrestling with the question of what the new technologies and audience behaviors mean for them and their service.” Other options the BBC is toying with include a simultaneous broadcast of its two main channels. However, this will be restricted to the UK only. In “a departure from past corporation policy”, another potential service is being able to buy BBC music and programs online. Mr. Thompson said: “The idea that in the age of the iPod that the public would not welcome the opportunity to buy a piece of music they heard on the site seems to me to be ridiculous.” WARM-UPS 1. TELEVISION:Talk about your history with television with your partner(s). Use these words to help your conversation: First memories Favorite kids’ programs Black and white TV maker Importance My daily viewing Life without TV Best programs Couch potato Internet TV 2. INTERNET:In pairs / groups, talk about what you use the Internet for. How often do you use the Internet for the following?

News and weather
Studying
Music
Games

Mail / Messenger
Travel information
Shopping
Other

3. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

BBC / television / TV programs / radio / downloading / download fees / global presence / wrestling / Internet TV / toying with ideas / BBC shop / iPods

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

4. BBC: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the BBC. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

5. BROADCASTERS: Talk with your partner(s) about television and broadcasting from other countries. How is the quality of programming in your country?

6. TWO-MINUTE DEBATES: Debate each of the fun arguments below with a partner for just two minutes, before moving on to the next one. Student A agrees with the first argument, Student B, the second.

a. BBC news is best. vs. CNN news is best.

b. Televisions will be with us forever. vs. Televisions will disappear.

c. Internet television is a terrible idea. vs. Internet television is a great idea.

d. The BBC must charge for downloading. vs. The BBC should never charge a downloading fee.

e. MyBBCPlayer will change our lives. vs. MyBBCPlayer will have minimal effect on our lives.

f. Internet TV will help world democracy. vs. Internet TV is just entertainment.

g. MyBBCPlayer will make the world more British. vs. How ridiculous.

h. It is ridiculous you cannot buy BBC programs today. vs. It is ridiculous you’d want to buy BBC programs.