BBC stockpiling Internet domain names

[dochlaggie]

News [Internet]
Thursday 19th January 2006

BBC stockpiling Internet domain names 4:13PM
The BBC has stockpiled hundreds of Internet domain names apparently unrelated to its programmes or business.
The MediaGuardian discovered that the corporation has registered the likes of pcforpeanuts.co.uk, plantx.co.uk and theslate.co.uk.

The BBC said that the names had been registered in case of possible future use and to prevent other websites taking domains that

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relate to BBC projects. But, as the Guardian notes, that does not explain the registration of internationalunit.com or collinsshaw.co.uk. (This could be construed as an obtuse form of cybersquatting, since Lewis Collins and Martin Shaw were the stars of seventies ITV drama The Professionals.)

The British Internet Publishers Alliance called for the names to be released.

'The BBC ought to use this opportunity to do something positive by releasing those domain names - certainly there is no justification in paying out licence money to hang on to them,' said BIPA secretary, Angela Mills Wade.

Around 200 such domains have been registered, some of which relate to current research projects or are designed to prevent anyone else using them - bbcawards.com example. The BBC also owns multiple names relating to specific programmes. None of the domains appear to be in use.

The cost of registering the domains has not been disclosed.

Simon Aughton
From pcpro news.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/82378/bbc-stockpiling-internet-domain-names.html

I found this an interesting article and thought that other namepro members may do the same.

 

[EbookLover]

I don't get it, what's the big deal. The BBC is a bunch of fear mongers anyway. It doesn't surprise me tha tthey are cybersquatters these days. The news business is best for those that report new, not for those that attempt to indoctrinate. The new cybersquatting role fits them well. I think they should be able to keep the domains and keep registering more. Let them suffer any legal reprocussion just like anyone else. By taking the domains away from them they get off to easy.

But forget all that. Why should they not be allowed to own any domains they want to own?

 

[Kate]

I don't find it surprising at all. They may have ideas for future use after all. I tend to do the same if I have an idea in mind. If youd don't register when it's available you may regret it afterwards.
So the British can see their tax money at work :lol:

 

[Peter]

So the British can see their tax money at work :lol:

It's not a tax as such but a license scheme. If you own a tv or radio (beleive radio still to be the case) you have to own a tv license.

The BBC are well known for wasting money but registering 200 un needed domain names will hardly even dent their budget. My tv license this year is £126.50 (about $225 or €185). In my opnion they should not have such an advantage over other channels and should have to get money through advertising. If the BBC's programming is rubbish there is no comeback at all they still get their license fee. But for channels like ITV if their programming isn't upto par then advertisers will not want to take those slots so the money ITV get would be decreased. Why should the BBC still have such an advantage.

 

[maroulis]

welcome to the world of incumbents.. I spent 10 years in UK bbc largely sucks with exeption of a couple of shows...

 

[jim]

I grabbed bitesize.info last month that was regged by the BBC so I guess the're also starting to not renew domain also

jim

 

[Peter]

bitesize.info

Wasnt that a segment on newsround or something like that?

 

[seeker]

BBC News and their documentaries are great IMO.
as tyo what use they have for the domains, who can really know???

 

[photoshopfreak]

Wasnt that a segment on newsround or something like that?

I'm not sure, i have heard that term used on BBC2 though, with there educational programmes, "GCSE Bite Size"...

 

[MichaelV.]

i dont see anything wrong with it... i just hope they didnt get one that i want

 

[peterstannard]

I guess its better than stockpiling nuclear weapons ...

 

[WhiteWebServices]

This is trivial. 200 domains for an organisation like the BBC is nothing.

And it's not cybersquatting either, as the domains are connected to BBC projects. If anything, they're trying to prevent squatters from cashing in on BBC work.

 

[Amnezia]

I'm not sure, i have heard that term used on BBC2 though, with there educational programmes, "GCSE Bite Size"...

yeah its a revision program for the standard GCSEs tests here in the UK.

 

[LeDomain]

Actually I am surprised that BBC owns only 200 names...wonder how many names NBC, Fox, CNN, ABC and the likes own.