Amazing: BBC Creative Archive licensing to be based on Creative Commons

This afternoon the first meeting of an external consultative panel, which included many UK media holders, heard the BBC’s decision that it will base the Creative Archive usage licence on the Creative Commons (CC) model. This confirmation follows some speculation on the subject. The CC model turns copyright on its head by explaining the ways that the content can be used rather than saying it cannot – or Some Rights Reserved as they put it. By happy coincidence, Creative Commons 2.0 was released yesterday.

The world became a better place today. This is just going to be one of those things that we’ll look back on in 5 years time and say “Well, of course…”

Retrospectively obvious. But until this moment, Creative Commons has been fairly much an underground movement – or at least vaguely fringe. Now someone at the BBC has made an intellectual leap and has realised that this is how things should be.

If you know ANYONE in public broadcasting, could you please tell them that this is absolutely 100% the model to be following for online content. I know I shouldn’t be as excited as this about something so administrative as content labelling – but the ramifications for all culture in the 21st century couldn’t be more significant.

And speaking of public broadcasting, I had an email from my new penpal, Matthew at Radio New Zealand in Wellington. Never met him, but we’ve been having email conversations that started over the announcement that RNZ International were going to start sending out DRM signals with their brand new transmitter.

He mentioned that he heard the Mediawatch interview Russell Brown did with me last weekend, on the topic of LPFM broadcasters in the Auckland CBD.

Apparently I used the phrase “abandoning AM” in reference to Radio New Zealand’s rollout of FM frequencies. Matthew took issue, and quite rightly points out the following:

Firstly AM gives much greater coverage area than FM. In fact as soon as the FM funding was announced last year we started getting lots of calls from rural NZers begging us not to turn off the AM. There are many people who live in places where there is virtually no FM available.

Secondly, our FM allocation on the 101 part of the band means we’re not available to many mobile listeners with Japanese car radios. Even if they have a band expander they might end up with stations clashing. eg with a 12meg band expander you’ll get both 89.00 and 101.00 at the same time.

And finally, we’re also reluctant to give up any AM frequencies or infrastructure because of the developments in digital AM. Maybe one day we’ll use a few digital AM transmitters to cover the whole country in parallel with FM. Trying to achieve 100% TV coverage in NZ with FM is economically impossible. TVNZ only claims to have 99% population coverage for TV One with all their transmitters, translators and the ability to justify expansion by way of commercial revenue and the importance of TV.

Okay, so I know that ‘abandoning’ was probably the wrong word in retrospect, but these complex and nuanced spectrum issues are difficult to squeeze into a 6-minute interview about something else entirely without a lot of additional clauses and parenthetical disclaimers.

That said, the FM rollout is more than just a transitional phase between ‘old’ AM and ‘new’ AM. The sense is clearly that AM was the main method of reception for National Radio, and now FM will be the main method of reception. It is more a migration than it is a diversification.

I have to say I’m delighted to see extra funding in the 2004 budget for the expansion of public radio services, much of which will be channelled into the following areas:

· Enhanced programming.

· Promotion of FM frequencies for National Radio.

· Extension of the Concert FM transmission network.

· Development of an internet based Audio on Demand facility.

· Expansion of audience research and audience analysis.

Can I just put my hand up and say “while you’re thinking about that fourth one, you may want to consider the benefits of Creative Commons licensing.

Happy to do some consultancy in that regard, if you think it’ll help…

In other news, I saw both the new SJD video and the new Age Pryor video on Homegrown on C4 tonight. They were incredibly organic, aesthetically pleasing and just good, true and right. The whole Dubber family was transfixed. Cliched it may be, but it made me feel incredibly proud. That’s New Zealand Music Month for you.

Can’t wait for the Play it Strange telly extravaganza ‘National Anthem‘ this weekend.

Bugger my radio show – watch your telly… especially from 10am till 4pm on Sunday – what a lineup! Actually, on second thoughts, no – just tape it and watch it later. I need all the listeners I can get. That’s George FM 2-4pm Sundays, you know…

On the radio-stations-worth-a-listen tip, check out Static on 88.1FM if you’re in the city over the next little while – or online here (better stream quality soon. Promise). The station’s programme director, Tim Burnell, has been messing with the rotates – tidying and tightening the music roster quite considerably.

Quite simply, it’s the best it’s ever sounded. Smart lad, that one. One to watch…

Finally, just a quick word about mp3 blogging. Read the article about fair use, and let other people introduce you to worlds of music you may otherwise have completely missed. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get exhaustive about following the links from that page especially if, like me, you’re a 56k modem user (rapidly becoming a genuine category of disability). So allow me to specifically recommend The Suburbs Are Killing Us. Wow.

The world is, for me today, a good and happy place.