Are there any plans to add links to the audio and video files for specific shows in the BBC TV and Radio API?
The data is clearly available, but the 'locations' section of the schedule API gives us channel URIs (multicast, dvb streams), rather than links to the actual content. Links to audio in the BBC Radio Player appeared for Hackday, but were promptly removed. The BBC iPlayer beta seems to use somewhat clean links to content, based on TV Anytime "Content Reference IDs" Ideally the BBC would maintain a set of permanent URLs for each programme and episode, which in turn reference a range of URIs where the audio and video can be found, now or in the future, whether via DVB various or Internet. This would be particularly helpful if content will change URL when it moves between the mooted BBC 'catch-up' window, commercial and archive services. To me, it all sounds a bit like the semantic web, although I'm no expert there. Of course, it would be relatively trivial to screen scrape this stuff and keep the links on a 3rd party site, but there are real advantages to the BBC providing and maintaining the data, I think? There's a downside for the BBC in providing these links - they help the audience to watch or listen to individual shows outside a context of BBC web pages, with no equivalent to the offline trail. Traditionalists could argue that this reduces the public value of the content, because there is less ability to point an East Enders viewer to Panorama etc etc. I'm hoping that the BBC approach recognises the public value to be gained from getting the content out there, even if they lose a few website visits. Is this the case? Chris -- Chris Jackson http://simsocast.com/ - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
