http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/35617.html

The BBC is to make its programme archive available over a peer-to-peer network, it said at the International Broadcasting Convention last weekend.

BT, meanwhile, has confirmed that it is in talks with the BBC to find a way "of ensuring that their plans have a positive impact on broadband Britain".

The BBC plans to develop a "super electronic programme guide", which allows users to record content as they do with a personal video recorder, New Media Age reports.

The announcement comes after confirmation that Auntie* will be making its archive accessible via the Internet, and clarifies the mechanism by which this will happen.

The BBC's new media director, Ashley Highfield, said that a P2P network will allow the BBC to handle the volume of traffic it expects when the Internet Media Player (IMP) goes live. The IMP will enable users to download or stream content to their PC, laptop or palmtop computer.

The corporation is exploring ways of using legitimate P2P systems to "get users to share on our behalf", Highfield said.

This is a neat way of tackling the bandwidth issues it would otherwise face, but in effect passes the buck to the broadband providers. With BT in talks with the Beeb*, it seems reasonable to expect some kind of partnership deal.

Watch this space for more info on what it all means. ®

Bootnote
*Extra-UK readers should note that Auntie and Beeb are both affectionate terms for the BBC.

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Hope they choose the eDonkey network. Bittorrent would be easier for newbies but the files expire too quickly :)

Hope they choose the eDonkey network. Bittorrent would be easier for newbies but the files expire too quickly

Note: why whould files expire if the BBC is hosting the main seeder?

I guess I'm used to seeing trackers go down. But you are right. If it's a legitimate content provider this will not happen. Seeds expire on eDonkey but others become seeds so the files don't become as rare as quickly. I say eDonkey is better in that many people leave files shared for a much longer period and become alternate 'seeds' if you like. Whereas there is only ever the original seeds on Bittorrent (Does that make sense?)

it is only going to be for the brits, and most likely they will have their own servers.

Ok, from a technical position bittorrent and edonkey are prefect. But there are non-technical considerations. I see two of them:

1. The BBC might not be too willing to relinquish control over its content. If they use a normal p2p network, once the file is released there is nothing they can do to influence it.

2. Not all of the released content is going to be free for everyone. Many BBC programs might be free only to people in the UK, as the BBC also makes some income by licencing its programs to forign channels. This is why most BBC tv channels are not easily available outside this country.

Also a minor point, ed2k isn't too well supported by its devlopers. It was ad-funded, but everyone left their client to use the ad-free emule alternative client. So they designed a new network, overnet, and devlopment work on ed2k is now mostly halted.

So, not much chance of the BBC putting all its content in AVI files on ed2k. They will likely use some form of DRM wrapper, through as this is the BBC it will be set to be as unrestrictive as possible. The files will likely be distributed by some form of psudo-p2p network, using central servers (some ran by the BBC, but some by ISPs to take the load from their own customers) but augmented with p2p technology. Cant give you any more information than that through, as none of the current technology is really suitable.