The beautiful Beeb 2.0

Posted on April 26th, 2006 by sherrilynne

No other media brand on Earth can touch the BBC for quality and innovation. Nowhere.  No how.  Now the Beeb has announced its intention to refocus its website around user content using 2.0 technology with the mission to “share, find and play”.  Mark Sweeny explains it all in The Guardian. 

The news is dividing opinion around the blogosphere with many applauding the announcement while others are less enthusiastic.  Jeff Jarvis says, ”In a word: Wow.”  Mark Wallace asks, “Can they compete with what’s already out there?” Blogging 4business states, “As the Beeb has learned, the viewers are in charge.”  Drew B says, “How cool will this be?”

But Niall Cook at Hill & Knowlton says, “Call me old-fashioned, but I rather like the fact that there is a clear dividing line between the quality journalism that the BBC delivers … and the diversity of personal and professional commentary that social media has to offer.”  Neville calls the announcement an obituary for mass media.

My 2p?  Well I think those few remaining client-side Doubting Thomases will finally have to concede. Social media is important, and it’s here to stay.

Filed under: public relations

7 Responses to “The beautiful Beeb 2.0”

  1. Niall Cook , on April 26th, 2006 at 3:20 pm Said:

    Sherrilynn,

    I agree with your last statement, but I’m really not sure that merging professional and amateur journalism in this way is the role of the BBC.

    In all the reports I read a lot about “what” they’re doing, and I too think “wow!”, but as a licence payer I’d really like to understand “why”, and I don’t see that anywhere.

  2. Neville Hobson , on April 26th, 2006 at 3:36 pm Said:

    Niall, look beyond the license fee model. I think Emily Bell’s point at Comment is free is a good one:

    [...] And so what exactly is the licence fee going to be for, and how is it going to be levied? The “television tax” model of collection barely seems appropriate anymore - and tying it to “screens” more generally would be unsustainable - the first case to go through the courts for non-payment would be the end of an effective licence. So then what?

    I happen to think, perhaps completely erroneously, that the BBC knows the licence fee game is up, and is planning for a future where it will have to generate far more or even all of its funding.

    In any event, “Wow!” is a good reaction to the BBC’s plans.

  3. sherrilynne , on April 27th, 2006 at 8:11 am Said:

    It seems you two are not alone in questioning the commercial side of this. The BBC’s “competitors” are now chiming in.

    See today’s FT (http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e02eca58-d558-11da-93bc-0000779e2340.html)

    Still, we need to recognise that the BCC is unique not only in its funding, but in its value as a cultural resource. We should wait and see how all this plays out. I think it’s going to be ok.

  4. Drew B , on April 27th, 2006 at 8:50 pm Said:

    It really is outrageous eh?! (News International’s words, not mine). Hardly!!

  5. Christopher Trottier , on April 30th, 2006 at 8:48 pm Said:

    I wish them the best of luck. And I hope other news sites follow suit. Then we’ll really be able to eliminate bias.

  6. sherrilynne , on May 1st, 2006 at 10:35 am Said:

    I’m not sure we’ll ever elimate bias…as long as humans rule this planet.

  7. Strive Notes » ITV: user-generated content , on October 5th, 2006 at 9:25 am Said:

    [...] The beautiful Beeb 2.0 in which the BBC’s plans for digital media are discussed. [...]

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