Media Content and Pay Walls

With the ongoing debate about paywalls and imminent introduction of one by Robert Maxwell, I thought I'd take a look at what content is currently available from some of the other large media outlets.

I'm looking at this purely from a sports viewpoint, as an example of what's available to you, the average internet user.

Now, I don't have Sky Sports, so if I want to keep track of what's been going on in the NFL, which I do, I have to use www.NFL.com. The NFL website shows full video highlights of every post-season game, and a decent number of highlights from the regular season. They also make available a weekly discussion show, that airs in the USA on the NFL network.

The NFL also sell some of these highlights to the BBC, who make them available as embedded content on their website. I'll come back to the BBC later.

I'm also a huge rugby fan, so not having access to Sky Sports is a huge blow, as they hold a near monopoly on Rugby in England. Fortunately BBC Wales broadcasts the Magners League and Welsh Premiership, which I can Sky Plus, and S4C does likewise, albeit in Welsh, so I do get a decent amount of coverage. Sky's website offers online video of post match reaction from the Guinness Premiership, and offers highlights to account holders, regardless of whether they are paid up subscribers to Sky Sports.

The BBC, naturally, is highly unlikely to erect a Pay Wall, as they have previously stated that their online arm is paid for by the Licence fee. The BBC offer extended highlights of the Six Nations, Formula One and Football league online, as well as making available content from smaller niche sports.

Ultimately it looks like Murdoch is underestimating the diligence of web users in searching for the content they desire, and underestimating the proliferation of such content.

Instant Expert (Just add telly)

During the Olympics everyone becomes sport obsessed. Personally I find it weird how I become totally engrossed in sports that I didn't even know existed. In the current Winter Olympics I've found myself enthralled by the mens and womens snowboard cross, the ski jump, the luge and the moguls. Each of those sports has probably had about 5 minutes air time on Ski Sunday in the past year, yet they now get blanket coverage. (With the exception of the snowboarding events which get a fair amount on satellite channels.)

I find it equally strange how within half an hour I find myself becoming an instant expert on that sport. I can't help but start to mimic the commentator. I'll find myself turning to my girlfriend and commenting on how the luger seems to be taking too high a line through the fifth corner, or how the skier in the mens moguls is getting too much air between his ski's and the snow. During the summer games I sat through cycling, marathons and shot putts, activities that I normally wouldn't give a second thought to.

The effect is doubled when there's a British medal hope, as everyone becomes a living room critic. And if there is a chance of a medal for a Brit, that sport receives blanket coverage on terrestrial TV, relegating more exciting events to the red button. Unfortunately our best chances this time are in the Bobsleigh (not yet started), Womens Snowboard Cross (through Zoe Gillings) and in both the mens and womens Curling. So far the only sport to have had me switch off. I'm afraid Clare Balding waffling on about Curling is a crashing bore.

Any sport that markets itself as 'like bowls, ON ICE!' is onto a loser from the off.