p2pnet.net News:- Everyone’s trying to cash in on ’social networking’ with entertainment entrepreneurs figuring they can score huge, advertising-based profits by ‘allowing’ people to interact online, and to share their artistic and other creations with each other.

But it’s less of DIY (do it youself) and more of DIFT (do it for them).

The p2p community has been networking socially and in other ways for years, of course, but in the same way the traditional mainstream media moguls are desperately trying to rein in, and gain control of, bloggers and other citizen reporters, who are running rings around them, they’re also bent on harnessing social networking. And with that in mind, Britain’s BT has done a deal with America’s PodShow Network to ‘allow’ UK home broadcasters to make and share their own online shows.

“BT PodShow is making a nationwide call for aspiring film producers, musicians, presenters and DJs from across the UK to submit audio and video content,” says Podshow, quoting The Independent. “The best material will feature on ‘The Show’ section of the website.”

Does this pre-suppose some kind of tight managerial DRM? Will BT and PodShow want to make sure amateurs aren’t clipping from pro shows or engaging in other real or imagined naughties sufficient to raise the ire of the Big Four Organized Music gang, which is already using the likes of its BPI to sue its own customers for alleged copyright infringements?

It does.

And with the “financiers of Google and YouTube” backing the venture, as The Independent states it, there’ll be intensive, heavily targeted advertising so the companies can make scads of money on the backs of contributors. But that’s cool because it seems the providers of the source material won’t get left choking in the dust as the biggies rush off to the banks.

‘Seems,” though, is the operative word and it’ll be interesting to see if the general pack gets a fair share, or if most of the contributor money ending up with what’ll amount to a handful of ’superstars’ identified, nurtured and nourished by controlling interests.

Meanwhile, good ideas “may” receive funding to help meet production costs, “and popular shows will get a share of advertising revenues generated once the service is launched,” says The Independent. “The link-up will also present content from media companies and allow bands to upload music which producers can then use as backing tracks or incorporate into their shows.”

Revenue-sharing between BT and PodShow gives BT exclusive UK rights, “but it can be accessed by anyone with a broadband connection,” the story states, going on, “BT PodShow will link with the forthcoming TV-over-broadband service, BT Vision, with viewers’ favourite shows appearing on an electronic programming guide so they can be watched on TV. Shows can also be viewed over the internet or downloaded to players.”

Included will be iPod, which is ironic given that Apple flatly refuses to share its stuff with anyone.

And bad news for web site owners because according to PodShow co-founder Ron Bloom (the other is Adam Curry), the “website is dead”. People are, “changing the way they communicate online,” he says. “There is an untapped resource of really creative people out there.”

Like that hasn’t always been so. And what he really means is: there’s a vast and growing source of revenue just waiting to be tapped, which in turn means amateur contributors, the backbone of the whole deal, will have to be rigorously and vigorously ‘guided’ to safeguard vested corporate interests.

But, “There are risks for both BT and Podshow in their deal,” acknowledges the BBC.

For one thing, “BT’s image could suffer if podcasts feature offensive or unauthorised material.” Not to worry, though. Gavin Patterson, MD of BT’s consumer division, said there would be “nothing illegal” on the site. and, “There is a clear taste and decency policy.”

There’s also the danger for PodShow that, “the young and unconventional audience which might be attracted to the site could be put off by the association with an ageing giant like BT”.

Against that, however, “Podshow’s founders point out that the phenomenal growth of the social networking site MySpace was not halted after it was bought by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp,” says the BBC.

But, points out The Independent, “While the service falls outside the remit of current broadcasting laws, BT PodShow could fall foul of proposed new European legislation. Brussels regulators are debating the proposed Television Without Frontiers directive. This could mean that, by 2009, anyone producing online video content would need an Ofcom licence.”

Stay tuned.

Also See:
The Independent - Got the X-factor? Go to BT’s podcast service, September 15, 2006
BBC - BT unveils podcasting tie-up plan, September 13, 2006