BBC Mobile Plans

The BBC has been fleshing out it's five year plan (doesn't that sound Stalinist?) for mobile and it's centring with on-demand rich-media content.

Angel Gambino's strategy is to make sure the mobile version of bbc.co.uk is as important as the regular web one.

Mobile access to the BBC Media Player is central to the plan. The BBC's creative archive will be available as well as the current BBC Radio Player. Content on the Radio Player will be available on a seven day free public service basis.

Angel also mentions that she sees location based services growing in importance. Her plans focus on being able to deliver powerful local services using the BBC's existing local TV and radio provision.

So how will the commercial sector respond to this. At present licensing of content for re-broadcast can be problematic. Making available a radio show after it's broadcast open's a barrel of worms regarding royalties. Does the commercial station pay licence fees again to reuse it's own show? How does using a radio player to time shift when Joe Public hears the show differ from Joe Public recording the show themselves to hear later?

Personally I think that commercial and public service media players will become core to the future growth of media companies. They will become the portal into those companies current content and archives, providing a great way to monetise all the content that would may otherwise languish unused outside traditional media.

The growth of mobile communications has been spotted by Gambino and she's right to put so much focus on it. Convergence is happening, and over the next few years the lines between mobile, web, radio and TV will really blur. Mobile is key to this, just think what your phone can do today compared to 2 years ago. Most phones are now mobile media players. You can play and download music, take and view photos, play games, take and watch short videos, listen to the radio, even call your mates.