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PBS draws link between digital music ethics and magic spells, somehow makes it look simple (video)
AAC files and the arcane don't have much in common on the surface. After some digging, however, PBS' Idea Channel has found that magic is an uncannily good analogy for digital music rights and explaining the thorny ethical issues that come with them. Both music and spells stem from grassroots cultures that give away their content for free, but (at least until an anti-magic clampdown at eBay) have since become businesses. That nature poses a key ethical question: when we're used to a free experience and can copy songs or spells as much as we like, what does it take to keep us as honest customers? As show host Mike Rugnetta suggests, it's a matter of personal responsibility -- if we want more of either, we have to think of the commerce as showing support for future work. You can catch Mike's clever train of thought after the break, and ponder what constitutes DRM for a potion while you're at it.
Is the BBC the next contestant in the quest to take on iTunes?
PaidContent is claiming the BBC has some pretty advanced plans to launch a video market, one meant to compete directly with the iTunes of the world. According to its source, the British Broadcasting Corporation plans to offer its vast back catalog of movies, TV shows and specials as £1.89 downloads. Though much of its newer material is already licensed through BBC Worldwide, older content is not. The idea is to make all of that material available digitally and through its own branded service. The public broadcaster even plans to offer producers a larger chunk of the profits (roughly £0.40 per episode) in an effort to get a leg up on its potential competitors. Of course, these plans could still collapse if negotiations with independent producers fall through. Or, the plans could be less grand and far more preliminary than we've been led to believe. Still, don't be shocked it the iPlayer starts telling you to buy old episodes for a couple of quid in the next few months.
LG no longer selling 15,000 3DTVs to Sky TV, Britons breathe a sigh of indifference
Why is this man so down? Is it the crooked hat? Or the long hours spent with the same flat expression on his face? No, the fact of the matter is that Sky's plan to outfit pubs the breadth and width of the island nation with 3D televisions has fallen flat. Yesterday LG announced that the satellite provider had purchased some 15,000 sets with the hope of hooking folks on the technology before launching its in-home service later in the year, but now the company's pulling back, instead saying that deal involves the channel selling pubs 3DTVs through a third party. And we're sure that pub owners are going to jump at the chance to buy expensive new displays and scores of 3D glasses so customers can drop them in pitchers and / or break them while playing darts or whatever goes on over there in the land of Pete Doherty and excessive surveillance. LG's statement is after the break.
Sky TV buys 15,000 3DTVs from LG for live sports broadcasts in public venues
LG is today proudly boasting that it has sealed the biggest sale of 3D television sets so far, thanks to its partnership with UK broadcaster BSkyB. Following a surprisingly successful trial run of broadcasting the Arsenal versus Man United match in 3D this January, Sky clearly sees its future through polarizing glasses and has ordered up the big batch of tubes so that it can provide weekly 3D broadcasts of Premier League games. The plan is for a rapid rollout this spring -- which is right about now -- meaning that your local pub should be getting all glitzed up just in time for the end of season excitement. It remains to be seen whether Brits will swarm to the new tech or lose interest once the novelty wears off, but judging from the size of this investment, it would seem the bigwigs in charge of our entertainment are already convinced that 3D will be a win.
Biz Kid$ launches this weekend in HD, molds your youngster into an entrepreneur
Considering that you just kicked back last night and caught MOJO HD's new Money Night lineup, it makes sense to start passing down those cash-making ways as soon as humanly possible, eh? As you calmly nod your head up and down, you'll likely be enthralled to know that starting this Sunday on your local American Public Television broadcaster (listed here), your offspring can fix their eyes on a new program that may actually benefit them in the long-term. Produced entirely in HD by the same minds that brought you Bill Nye the Science Guy, Biz Kid$, is a 26-episode series "designed to entertain, engage and ultimately elevate young peoples knowledge about money and finance." Those tykes will be paying your nursing home bills one day -- letting 'em catch this may not be such a bad idea.
Cincinnati's CET moving to 24-hour HD broadcast
CET, the PBS station serving Cincinnati, Ohio, is getting set to switch over to a 24-hour HD broadcast. Currently, WCET-TV broadcasts some "prepackaged HD shows from PBS," but starting on December 17th at noon, it will boast high-definition content around the clock. Additionally, it's making CrEaTe -- "an American Public Television channel [currently] accessible only by Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) viewers" -- available to anyone who can receive the HD signal. Beginning next Monday, programs will be simulcast in analog on channel 48, in HD on channel 48.1 (OTA), on channel 948 on Time Warner Cable and on channel 916 for those with Insight Cable. As for satellite viewers? They'll have to "contact their provider to arrange for the CET digital signal."
