Streaming Media: a request

[Richard Steinfeld]

To all of you who have participated in and lurked at the recent
threads about Real Player, Media Player Classic, Real
Alternative, and jetAudio, here's something important. And if you
use these products, it's important for you, too.

In almost every case where Real streaming is provided by a
content source (such as The BBC, many NPR affiliates, The
Pacifica Foundation network and local stations, etc.) streaming
program content is provided exclusively with Real technology: no
alternative is offered. So, "It's my way or the highway."

I have emailed the webmasters at these networks/stations
expressing concern and alarm over their choice, and have only
received a concerned reply once (KPFA)! The others didn't even
reply. This is especially distressing in the case, let's say, of
the excellent WNYC program "On The Media," which instead of using
Real streaming, should be running a series of exposure stories on
this company!

I bellieve that the only way to unplug this horrible monster is
at the content source.

Please join me in posting every content provider you download
from. Tell them how troubled you are that they are only making
their material available in a technology that requires the user
to compromise their security and their computer's functionality
just to listen to their program.

In your correspondence, make sure to tell them that you want them
to switch to an open-source method so that nobody will again be
able to corner the streaming media market.

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I have avoided talking about QuickTime. In my first experience
with this product a few years ago, I found it to be equally as
invasive and damaging as Real Player. I ripped it off my system
and it will never return. Those of you who have used it may want
to take a similar approach that I've outlined here for Real.

Richard

 

[Iain Cheyne]

In almost every case where Real streaming is provided by a
content source (such as The BBC, many NPR affiliates, The
Pacifica Foundation network and local stations, etc.) streaming
program content is provided exclusively with Real technology: no
alternative is offered. So, "It's my way or the highway."

A friend is a producer for the BBC Science web team
(http://bbc.co.uk/science). He told me they use RealMedia because it is
both Mac and PC compatible.

I know it's a bad decision, but that's their line and they're sticking to
it.

 

[Richard Steinfeld]

| |
| > In almost every case where Real streaming is provided by a
| > content source (such as The BBC, many NPR affiliates, The
| > Pacifica Foundation network and local stations, etc.)
streaming
| > program content is provided exclusively with Real technology:
no
| > alternative is offered. So, "It's my way or the highway."
|
| A friend is a producer for the BBC Science web team
| (http://bbc.co.uk/science). He told me they use RealMedia
because it is
| both Mac and PC compatible.
|
| I know it's a bad decision, but that's their line and they're
sticking to
| it.
|
| --

But, I mean, couldn't they use MP3 instead. Aren't there any
other tools they could use that are universal? I wrote to them
and for all I know my concerns went into a black hole.

My belief is that the Beeb is the world's broadcasting standard:
the flagship of streaming audio now. That's why their adoption of
the closed system of this malevolent company is so troubling!
It's like Rupert Murdoch getting his exclusive rights to
broadcast by satellite to China.

Since y'all in the UK are paying big bucks to support the BBC, I
think it may be helpful to put pressure on them right now. Here's
how I see it: The government just put on a mock trial to smear
the BBC. Although the public still trusts the BBC over the
government, the broadcaster took their worst shellacing ever and
heads rolled. So, at this time of sensitivity, this may be a good
time to hold a few "Dump Real" demonstrations outside BBC HQ. Get
it covered by the private media, too -- tighten the screws.

Your BBC is a model that I wish we followed here in the USA. Our
airwaves are cluttered almost exclusively wth slanted garbage and
pablum, almost all of it now owned by mega-corporations connected
with our current administration. I'm not sure if you're aware
that BBC stopped broadcasting to the USA on shortwave, replacing
it instead with Real streaming. This really hurts.

Richard

 

[Semolina Pilchard]

Since y'all in the UK are paying big bucks to support the BBC, I
think it may be helpful to put pressure on them right now. Here's
how I see it: The government just put on a mock trial to smear
the BBC. Although the public still trusts the BBC over the
government, the broadcaster took their worst shellacing ever and
heads rolled. So, at this time of sensitivity, this may be a good
time to hold a few "Dump Real" demonstrations outside BBC HQ. Get
it covered by the private media, too -- tighten the screws.

I certainly endorse what you're saying, Richard - a mass protest
against Real is the only thing that's at all likely to make the BBC
change its mind on the issue.

Don't expect much in the way of sensible replies, though. I had an
exchange of correspondence with various levels of The Beeb on this
issue for a period of months. The replies I received varied from a
firm denial that Real did the kind of (well-documented) things I
suggested they did, to a complete lack of understanding of the issues
involved. I suspect the latter stance is a pose; if what you're doing
is indefensible, don't try to defend it, just plead ignorance and
stick to it.

I've given up streaming media entirely. So far, I haven't felt
terribly deprived, though I accept that there are situations where it
would be useful, and others clearly have a genuine need for it. For
the time being, however, I can't see a way to accept it without
compromising my security beyond what's reasonable to live with.

 

[stafford]

| A friend is a producer for the BBC Science web team
| (http://bbc.co.uk/science). He told me they use RealMedia
because it is
| both Mac and PC compatible.
|
| I know it's a bad decision, but that's their line and they're
sticking to
| it.
|
| --

But, I mean, couldn't they use MP3 instead. Aren't there any
other tools they could use that are universal? I wrote to them
and for all I know my concerns went into a black hole.

The principle restrictions on the BBC here are the terms of their
agreement with the copyright holders for Internet rights

Those terms include

(1) streaming rather than downloadable files
Hence Real and not MP3. The main option would be Windows
Media and they do use this on one or two streams but most
people wouldn't find this preferable to Real and of course it is
Windows only

(2) limitations on the quality of the stream

(3) archiving for 7 days only

My belief is that the Beeb is the world's broadcasting standard:
the flagship of streaming audio now.

Not inn terms of signal quality for the reasons above

So, at this time of sensitivity, this may be a good

time to hold a few "Dump Real" demonstrations outside BBC HQ. Get
it covered by the private media, too -- tighten the screws.

At a time when they are facing a tough political fight in which the
BBC's future is at stake I'm afraid there is no chance of you
attracting their attention on something like this whihc will seem
very minor to them (and to be honest the great majority of the British
public). A year ago they might have at least discussed now there is
no chance.