Location restrictions on internet media (Re: [SLUG] Re: BBC iPlayer beta)

On Mon, Jun 30, 2008, James Purser wrote:
> No, the BBC actively blocks non UK ip addresses for a lot of stuff.

This is a really common problem with media sites around the net. Can be
necessary for the providers because:

 - their contract to use the copyrighted material only has broadcast
   rights for certain countries
 - the material they are using might be illegal or infringing in other
   countries

Apparently Australia has a bit of a problem with #2 now, because
post-FTA copyright amendments we protect quite a lot of things as fair
use that are not protected in many other countries. Apparently The
Chaser War On Everything's use of other people's footage would be
infringing in many countries, the ABC has some lawyering work to do
before they upload the videos to their website.

This is really, really annoying for a lot of people. I know many people
would would like to watch IPTV from their home country in their native
language (or want more non-English children's TV options for their kids)
but find that they're restricted because of their location.

I suppose a solution to the contractual problems might be "broadcast
rights in [whereever], extra fee per paying customer worldwide" but this
wouldn't protect from different copyright regimes.

-Mary
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