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Leader: Why BBC needs to be in top gear for world 2.0
Deals with YouTube and IBM are a start...

By silicon.com

Published: Monday 05 March 2007

It's been a busy week for the BBC, announcing tie-ups with YouTube and IBM both of which are part of the changes the corporation has to make to cope with a fast-changing media environment which could otherwise swamp it.

That the BBC has a Future Media and Technology department shows the digital age is not something the BBC is taking lightly. The department has driven the recent deals and will be working to make them work as well as possible.

With the YouTube deal, the BBC is working with a giant of web 2.0, which will bring the corporation's content to an even wider audience.

In order to promote itself around the world, these are the kinds of deals the BBC will need to pursue, and the fact the arrangement with YouTube is non-exclusive means the door is open for similar deals.

Following hot on the heels of the YouTube deal was the announcement the Beeb will be working with IBM to trial search technology that will allow users to delve even deeper into Auntie's content and find exactly what they want.

These two deals are evidence of a real effort by the BBC to boost its online capability. But it will have to make compromises along the way - ads appearing next to content on YouTube for example - to make the most of the opportunities.

Phrases such as 'web 2.0' and 'user-generated content' might sound more Doctor Who than EastEnders but if the Beeb is to prosper in this brave new world we'll hear a lot more of this kind of talk from dear old Auntie.