BBC content-sharing deal goes live

The BBC’s content-sharing deal goes live today, allowing national newspapers to share the corporation’s online video news content.

The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Independent and Daily Mail will all be able to use BBC video material on news subjects such as UK politics, business, health and science and technology free of charge.

However, the BBC will restrict access to some video footage, including core public service content.

The landmark deal follows Lord Carter’s Digital Britain report last year, which urged the BBC to open up its online news content in a bid to support newspaper publishers.

Mark Byford, BBC deputy director-general and head of journalism, said: “The BBC set out its intention to open up access to BBC news content as part of the Digital Britain process.  We regard this initiative as a core part of the BBC working more effectively as a public service partner, with other media organisations utilising BBC news content.

“The way the public is consuming audio and video online is changing. Audiences are increasingly expecting news content to be available wherever they are, rather than always having to navigate to destination sites. We hope this wider distribution will extend audience reach to BBC content.”

The BBC is expected to make the same content available to other UK-based news websites in the future.

However, the move has come under fire from some publishers, who have complained that the BBC’s dominance in the online news market has restricted growth.  Publishers have argued that the BBC’s content-sharing deal will only benefit the BBC, increasing web-traffic to the BBC site, as opposed to boosting content and potential revenue gains for publishers.