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longwave

Google cache to the rescue for UK users:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:_Uzr_k0...

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Thanks. But more generally WTH? How does their policy make any sense?

For non uk people: """BBC Worldwide (International Site)

We're sorry but this site is not accessible from the UK as it is part of our international service and is not funded by the licence fee. It is run commercially by BBC Worldwide, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the BBC, the profits made from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes. You can find out more about BBC Worldwide and its digital activities at www.bbcworldwide.com. """

The BBC is forbidden from undertaking any commercial activity within the UK in their charter. While obviously quite integral to the way the BBC works and is able to work, this is a weird side-effect of that restriction.

Reminds me of the situation in Germany, where private publishers and TV networks managed to successfully shoot down some of the better ideas of how to use public television. Result is that public television networks are forbidden to produce in-depth articles accompanying their reports and may only expose free internet access to their shows within tight limits. The compromises reached seem more and more like "you may produce content using public money as long as you make sure the content stays sufficiently sucky".

The BBC charter is being renewed soon, and there is certainly a faction within Government that is trying to push the BBC in this direction.

Except the BBC do undertake commercial activity within the UK through BBC Worldwide, by selling TV programmes and films through the BBC Store and on DVD/BD.

Some of the BBC websites that were previously blocked in the UK (such as Future and Earth) are now available because they don't show adverts to UK visitors.

Surely the same can be done for the Travel website (show adverts to everyone except UK visitors).

The error page would be a hell of a lot less irritating if they just said that, instead of the nosensical Newspeak they've chosen instead.

I'm not sure, but I think it's the tories' bizarre fixation with making the BBC terrible in order to prove that state funded things are worse than their private sector counterparts.

You see it every now and again when they want to apply even more rules to prevent the BBC making programmes they think might be successful/popular[1]

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/may/11/john-whittingd... (the best example I could find: government "forced to deny" what I suspect. Something something yes minister.)

I wonder if there's some kind of restriction meaning they aren't allowed to serve ad content to those living in the UK (and presumably paying a licence fee) and thus the simplest option is just to wall off users based in those locations

Yep, this is exactly right.

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