New models of distribution
The way we view and produce multimedia content will change. Some institutions, notably the BBC, are anticipating this cultural shift and are already developing innovative solutions. The BBC iMP Player" is an application in development that offers UK viewers the chance to catch up on TV and radio programmes they may have missed for up to seven days after the broadcast, using the internet to download programmes to home computers. iMP uses peer-to-peer distribution technology to distribute these programmes legally. Seven days after the programme transmission date the programme file expires, using digital rights management (DRM) software, and users will no longer be able to watch it. DRM also prevents users from emailing the files to other computer users or sharing them on disc.
To accommodate these changes, the BBC has recently introduced the Creative Archive. This will eventually be a massive repository of past programmes, both audio and video, tagged, indexed and ready to be downloaded and used, subject to certain restrictions The beginning of this process will be rapidly prototyped using a web application called Ruby on Rails42 and the BBC will be issuing a public beta in 2006"
Programmes offered through the Creative Archive can be disassembled and remixed to make new media objects