A popular website for watching TG is down

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Not having monetized an asset yet is not a reason to give it away for free at the end of the day.

I have to agree. As much as I LOVE watching Top Gear, the BBC owns what amounts to intellectual property. They are paid money through distribution and licensing fees for re-broadcasts of the show though other venues. What I would really hope is that the "powers that be" continue to hear that we WILL pay good, honest money to have Top Gear legally, especially if we can get full content (the music will never happen, it'd be multiple millions). I bought series 10 on DVD, even though it's the horribly edited version. I will buy other series as they are released and will even consider re-purchasing 10 in full format (although I'd wine about that one quite a lot).

Questions like why are the Australians getting series 13 only 24 hours after broadcast (with altered music and time edits) but it's a good 6 MONTHS before the show airs in the US? Little things like that will encourage us to keep doing what we're doing. If BBC offered pay-per-download content days after airing, I'd buy them and I'll bet man others would too.
 
I have to agree. As much as I LOVE watching Top Gear, the BBC owns what amounts to intellectual property. They are paid money through distribution and licensing fees for re-broadcasts of the show though other venues. What I would really hope is that the "powers that be" continue to hear that we WILL pay good, honest money to have Top Gear legally, especially if we can get full content (the music will never happen, it'd be multiple millions). I bought series 10 on DVD, even though it's the horribly edited version. I will buy other series as they are released and will even consider re-purchasing 10 in full format (although I'd wine about that one quite a lot).

Questions like why are the Australians getting series 13 only 24 hours after broadcast (with altered music and time edits) but it's a good 6 MONTHS before the show airs in the US? Little things like that will encourage us to keep doing what we're doing. If BBC offered pay-per-download content days after airing, I'd buy them and I'll bet man others would too.
You are absolutely right. I would be very happy to do it.
BTW 6 months is very late. And even people who never watched TG can notice that it is edited. Horribly.
 
If BBC offered pay-per-download content days after airing, I'd buy them and I'll bet man others would too.

THIS. I already buy half my American TV off iTunes because I can't be bothered with commercials and poor quality on cable. If TG released their shows uncut (I can live without the original music, no prob) on iTunes or the like 24 hours after airing, a bit of every paycheck of mine would be finding its way to their pockets.

I'd happily pay quite a lot for DVD seasons as well. But I don't want episodes that have had bits chopped out.
 
I have to agree. As much as I LOVE watching Top Gear, the BBC owns what amounts to intellectual property. They are paid money through distribution and licensing fees for re-broadcasts of the show though other venues. What I would really hope is that the "powers that be" continue to hear that we WILL pay good, honest money to have Top Gear legally, especially if we can get full content (the music will never happen, it'd be multiple millions). I bought series 10 on DVD, even though it's the horribly edited version. I will buy other series as they are released and will even consider re-purchasing 10 in full format (although I'd wine about that one quite a lot).

Questions like why are the Australians getting series 13 only 24 hours after broadcast (with altered music and time edits) but it's a good 6 MONTHS before the show airs in the US? Little things like that will encourage us to keep doing what we're doing. If BBC offered pay-per-download content days after airing, I'd buy them and I'll bet man others would too.

It might not be the BBC,s fault for the delay it could be the fault on what channel buys it in the USA.
I know in the UK channel 5 kept pushing house MD back because they are skint and in the end sky brought the show.
 
Yes, taxes don't pay for the BBC, their silly TV licenses do.
The U.K. license fee is defined as a tax. So they don't just take the money for funding the BBC out of different taxes (which would be intransparent) but have license fee/TV tax which goes diretely to the BBC and thus is much more transparent to the taxpayer.
 
Not selling all of the back library of TG on DVD is an appalling missed opportunity for the Beeb to make money.

Sorry, but it really seems moronic to me.
 
The music is part of the reason the DVDs and downloads haven't happened until now - you can find my detailed explanation by doing a search for Top Gear DVD music probably.

But the basics is that the BBC pays a blanket flat annual fee to use any music in any public service TV or radio show and repeats of those same shows on demand for a limited period of time (usually seven days but no more than seven days after the end of the whole series).

However, that licence only applies to content on the public service networks - so BBC One, Two, Three, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio Jersey etc....

If they then sell that episode as a DVD or a download or even sell it on to a third party commercial channel like Dave - they will need to re-negotiate rights to every piece of music they use and get permission from every singer, songwriter and producer to use that piece of music.

Although the rules might be more relaxed over negotiating rights for broadcast as I think they can use any music for broadcast if they pay rights - but they will have to pay the rate agreed for Dave.

But to use it for sale (DVD or download) they would have to get permission for every track.

I've spoken to the man responsible for deciding what gets released as a DVD or download before and to make them available it would involve changing some of the music where they a) couldn't get permission for it or b) permission was granted but cost was prohibitively expensive.

We are however starting to see some downloads - the whole of the last series was available on iTunes in the UK and I think this one is as well - not sure the music was the same though - if it was we should start seeing DVDs of current series.

The back catologue will be the problem though as they may not get permission for some of the music they used back then - I'm sure they would have considered international and download/dvd rights for the last couple of series when selecting music.

The question you need to ask for archive content is: Are you prepared to have it to buy but with different music?' as that is the only option you may have - at least legally.

There were plans to launch a product code named 'Kangaroo' between BBC, ITV and Channel 4 that would have basically meant the launching of a commercial/international version of the iPlayer - but it was shot down and rejected by OfCom and the BBC Trust as anti-competitive or something.

However I'm sure we'll see more in the future - BBC Worldwide is getting better all the time at exploiting properties - maybe selling them through topgear.com internationally or something.

Sorry - this was meant to be a quick response before I leave to walk the 5 miles home - my wife won't let me get the bus anymore - says I need the excersise.
 
Excellent post and since the question seems to come up frequently, this ^ could or should be Wiki?d. Skicky?d or FAQ?d. :)
 
We are however starting to see some downloads - the whole of the last series was available on iTunes in the UK and I think this one is as well - not sure the music was the same though - if it was we should start seeing DVDs of current series.

Why only in the UK? You guys already get to watch the show. The rest of the world wants unfettered access!

The question you need to ask for archive content is: Are you prepared to have it to buy but with different music?

Absolutely! In fact, they could strip the whole thing of music and I'd still buy it. Via iTunes, on DVD, whatever. They need to stop worrying about the music and make the content available for purchase. Like I said, 24 hours after the broadcast, ditch the music, put it up on iTunes for the world to enjoy. Simple, and they'd make a fortune.

In fact, if they made 24-hour-later iTunes eps that were music-free versions of the broadcast show and later released music-subbed DVDs that included extras (like deleted scenes and whatnot) I'd buy everything TWICE.
 
As long as the music fits the segment I'd be fine. But looking over a BBC Prime rip of Season 2, the Rolls Royce review was given ridiculous music. If the music fits I'd be fine in buying it and would gladly pay the BBC for the privilege of buying the shows in full length.
 
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I hate the redubbing of music. It's always literally dubbed over rather than replaced, it's often too loud and doesn't fit, etc.

I'll stick to TV rips unless they can offer it with original music.
 
Possibly the worst dub ever was on the Dave TV version of the Leyland Cars Tribute.

When the TG3 stopped at the old factory, the scene was that the wanted to see which cars had the best squeaks and other noises.

On the original film, this squeak, bang, click was brilliantly edited into the opening bars of ?Money? by Pink Floyd. :cool:

On the Dave TV version it was just random generic crap music.:(
 
Possibly the worst dub ever was on the Dave TV version of the Leyland Cars Tribute.

When the TG3 stopped at the old factory, the scene was that the wanted to see which cars had the best squeaks and other noises.

On the original film, this squeak, bang, click was brilliantly edited into the opening bars of ?Money? by Pink Floyd. :cool:

On the Dave TV version it was just random generic crap music.:(

LOL. Agreed! I was watching that one on DVD the other night and it was dreadful. I heard Pink Floyd in my head anyway. I hear the US version of the Vietnam special was mighty awful as well.
 
Kinda off topic: last night when watching the 10 gazillionth rerun of TG on BBC America, I coulda swore I heard a promo that said you could preorder the season 11 DVD set now at the BBCA shop. But, there's nothing like that at the shop, and nothing at Amazon or other DVD sources. Was my fevered brain making this up?
 
I have to agree. As much as I LOVE watching Top Gear, the BBC owns what amounts to intellectual property. They are paid money through distribution and licensing fees for re-broadcasts of the show though other venues. What I would really hope is that the "powers that be" continue to hear that we WILL pay good, honest money to have Top Gear legally, especially if we can get full content (the music will never happen, it'd be multiple millions). I bought series 10 on DVD, even though it's the horribly edited version. I will buy other series as they are released and will even consider re-purchasing 10 in full format (although I'd wine about that one quite a lot).

Questions like why are the Australians getting series 13 only 24 hours after broadcast (with altered music and time edits) but it's a good 6 MONTHS before the show airs in the US? Little things like that will encourage us to keep doing what we're doing. If BBC offered pay-per-download content days after airing, I'd buy them and I'll bet man others would too.


Uhhhhh, no we don't.... We are getting re-runs of season 3 at the moment. I don't have a clue when we will be getting season 13.
 
Kinda off topic: last night when watching the 10 gazillionth rerun of TG on BBC America, I coulda swore I heard a promo that said you could preorder the season 11 DVD set now at the BBCA shop. But, there's nothing like that at the shop, and nothing at Amazon or other DVD sources. Was my fevered brain making this up?

I also see it all the time on BBCA. I have looked, and there is no sign of the Season 11 DVD on the internet. What gives?

As for the Pink Floyd thing, I agree. It's disappointing. The BL challenge on the S10 DVD doesn't have Money in it. That generic music defeats the purpose. They might as well cut the whole damn scene out. When I watched it for the first time on DVD I was like, "Why the f**k did they do that?"
 
It's S10 that's on DVD now via BBCA (available since April). I've never seen an ad for S11 on DVD; and there's nothing on the BBC America Shop website to suggest that it will be available any time soon.
 
UpYourEgo makes many salient points about the music rights. These are well established copyright laws, and while disappointing, I understand they would have to change the music to release the episodes on DVD.

But for god's sake, stop editing out the content! Please, please, please leave in the news and the SIARPC, stop shortening the the challenges, and sell us the older seasons on DVD! I don't even care if they're region 2 only!

I would try to torrent them, but it would take weeks to get each season.<_<
 
UpYourEgo makes many salient points about the music rights. These are well established copyright laws, and while disappointing, I understand they would have to change the music to release the episodes on DVD.

But for god's sake, stop editing out the content! Please, please, please leave in the news and the SIARPC, stop shortening the the challenges, and sell us the older seasons on DVD! I don't even care if they're region 2 only!

I would try to torrent them, but it would take weeks to get each season.<_<

I agree. I can live without the music, but please, please, please! Stop cutting out content that is pure gold!
 
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