A while back I wrote about SopCast ? free internet TV, and it?s free streaming of live football matches, and I also said this:
I’m not entirely sure of the legality of this programme ? Me (22/08/06)
Well it seems that it is completely illegal, as I found out on this BBC news article, and the FA Premier League, Uefa, Cricket Australia and other sport bodies have employed a company called NetResult to police the internet for unauthorised video.
We?re gradually working the numbers down and down, so unfortunately it?s a bit of a lengthy process ? NetResult?s Tim Cooper
At the moment you can only watch live Premiership football matches if you are subscribed to a satellite service, but as a recent report has suggested that more people are watching online video as opposed to sitting in front of the television, surely now is the time to not fight against online TV, but try and work with it.
There are now services to download TV content , although it is mostly sitcoms and shows, and with the news that from next season, Sky and Setanta Sports (who have won the rights to show Premiership matches on TV in the UK until 2010) will be able to broadcast matches legally on the internet, surely it won?t be long before they actually implement this.
If they don?t offer this service then it will be their fault that people resort to services such as SopCast, as they have the means to put out content of higher quality, and increase their revenue through another medium. I wouldn?t mind paying £1 to watch a live match on my PC and that would be £1 more than they are currently getting from me.
Hee, hee. I just saw this story on the BBC site and headed straight here to leave a comment on your SopCast post. Looks like you beat me to it!
Well I guess it answers the legality question. I think I?m safe though as there?s been no mention of a witchhunt of those who actually view these P2P webcasts, simply cracking down on the people that actually run them.
Apple is selling a million TV downloads a week, which is amazing, and as I mentioned in the post, if the Sky was able to market it someway like this then they?d be onto a winner, although obviously the matches wouldn?t be downloaded, just streamed, with an option to download the whole match once the game has ended.
I still like Match of the Day though, and it?s free (apart from the licence fee.)
?and it?s been over a month since my last post!!?.whoops.
I have found plenty of other new stuff and will get back to blogging on this site pretty soon.
Don?t fret.