Entries from October 2009 ↓

I expect more from the BBC than from commercial organisations, and not in that narrow “I’m a license-fee payer” kind of way. I expect the BBC to be an honest-speaking alternative to the excesses and drivers of the commercial world.

That’s why I’ve become so annoyed about the way the BBC engages in the Freeview HD debate. It’s being spin-ful in its use of language. I’d like to see it make a fairer and straighter assessment of what it’s chosen to do.

Such an assessment, I think, could have gone something like this:

“We’re sorry. We’ve had to make an imperfect deal with programme-producing companies which will require us to encrypt some of our HD transmissions.

“We think the impact will be minimal for most consumers that buy boxes from retail channels. For those of you who prefer to use open hardware and software, we’re afraid you won’t be able to enjoy these transmissions.

“However, we made a judgement that this was the best tactic currently available to allow us to broadcast any HD content from third parties.

“We will of course, be broadcasting in the clear those properties for which we own the rights or have made ourselves. We are currently lobbying parliament to strengthen the laws regarding our standard definition content so that this deal doesn’t become the thin end of a DRM-encumbered wedge.”

Of course, I made up the proposals in that last paragraph.

But, I’d be happy to accept that reasoning. I disagree with it, but only mildly so. The regret expressed is appropriate and would be welcome. It encourages me that they believe DRM to be the least-worst rather than the best option.

Instead we get triumphant, salesy and slightly aggressive posts here and here.

I just want the BBC to be more honest about the restrictions imposed by this technology. And I would be pleased if the starting point of their negotiation wasn’t at the DRM end. I hope they stood up for public broadcasting on open platforms more strongly than these posts imply.

Unfortunately, the BBC doesn’t seem to have the courage it used to have.

Maybe too many people with eyes on jobs in media companies. Maybe. I don’t know enough to be sure. I do know though that yet another BBC executive moved recently to Microsoft. I have to say, I’m surprised that the organisations have anything like compatible cultures. Perhaps I shouldn’t be. Updated: in hindsight, I think that paragraph, while true, was a distraction from my main point.

If the BBC is just another media company in a sea of media companies; if working for the BBC is just like working in another corporate; and, if PR from the BBC feels like spin-ful PR from everywhere else, well, what’s the point?

I hate dealing with High Street retailers, especially when things have gone wrong.

The USB cable for my Vodafone 3G modem has broken. Not a big deal, easy to replace – why don’t I just pop into the Vodafone store and, you know, they’ll change it for me. I’ll be able to use it on the train back that evening and all will be good. Can’t take more than a few minutes. Right?

No. Instead, bloke in Vodafone shop, you tell me that my warranty has expired. Then, when I protest, you grudgingly tell me that you could send it off. But, of course, the whole modem would have to be sent off not just the cable. It would be gone for, oh, 6 or 7 working days at a minimum. Oh, and I’m not from here am I? Well, I can only get it sent back to this shop.

“It’s a goddamn USB cable”, I’m thinking. Over and over again.

He carries on: but it’s not covered by the warranty anyway, so… you know. (I really don’t) Of course, you could upgrade.

Upgrade for the sake of a bloody cable? I should have just gone to Maplin and bought one. Silly me to think I’d get some service from Vodafone. But I don’t say any of this, I’m very polite.

Do the new modems come with these cables? Yes? Can’t you just take a cable out of one of those boxes then? No, your warranty has expired, see?

So I end up moaning about how the Sale of Goods Act and its EU equivalents mean that I don’t need a warranty to get a fault replaced – the 3G modem is only a little over a year old – and storm out of the store.

Anger and annoyance for the sake of a £1 cable replacement, I’ll be changing away from Vodafone as early as I can.

What should have been a simple “Of course, sir. Here you go!” becomes an anger-inducing farce. A fucking £1 USB cable. That’s all. How hard could it be?

What I understand the least about these situations is the lack of any empathy from the sales-folk. I guess they don’t get commission from replacements, or something.

But, surely, they themselves wouldn’t want to be treated like this? Surely, they’ve been in these kind of situations, where they’re trying to get something that shouldn’t have broken replaced?

So, clearly, the Sale of Goods legislation isn’t worth a damn in the real world. Am I really going to go to the small claims court for a cable that costs a few quid?

A friend of mine tells of taking something back to Currys and having to quote the Sales of Goods legislation only to be told “I don’t care about the law, this is Currys’ law”. Indeed.