Many people have commented, before during and since the lockout that they wish the CBC would finally 'get it' with regard to podcasts and blogs, but the RSS terms of use make it clear that, at the decision making level, they don't really get the value of html and hyperlinks yet.
The Terms of Use reads in part:
ANY USE, REPRODUCTION, ALTERATION, MODIFICATION, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE OR DISPLAY, UPLOADING OR POSTING ONTO THE INTERNET, TRANSMISSION, REDISTRIBUTION OR OTHER EXPLOITATION OF THE CBC FEED OR OF ANY CBC FEED CONTENT, WHETHER IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OTHER THAN EXPRESSLY SET OUT HEREIN, IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF CBC/Radio Canada. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE RESTRICTIONS ABOVE, YOU SHALL NOT PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE CBC FEED OR FEED CONTENT FROM ANY MOBILE WIRELESS SERVICES OR ANY INTERACTIVE TELEVISION SERVICE.
Since placing these feeds on the publicbroadcasting.ca site would clearly constitute a "public performance or display, uploading or posting onto the internet, transmission, redistribution or other exploitation of the CBC feed or of any feed content whether in whole or in part" they obviously cannot be used.
The terms of use also contains this:
you will not do any promotion or advertising involving CBC/Radio-Canada, the CBC Feed or Feed Content without the prior written authorization of CBC/Radio-Canada;
Since displaying the feed on a web site would, in and of itself, be a promotion of the feed and feed content - it is clearly not allowed to be displayed.
The internet runs on links. Links are the reason that html (hyper text markup language) was developed in the first place. By putting these kinds of restrictions on the use of their RSS feeds the CBC is essentially saying that they don't want people just going willy nilly and promoting their content. It is not, after all, as if people would be stealing their content - merely providing summaries of their content; ads (in a way) for their content and people would have to go to the CBC's site to access that content.
I can understand the CBC being concerned about the alteration or theft of their content, but to restrict the promotion of their content - regardless of who is trying to promote it - is essentially the same as saying that 'our website doesn't need any more traffic, our radio doesn't need more listeners, our television doesn't need more viewers. This, generally, seems like an odd thing for a broadcaster, especially one that is concerned about it's finances, to say. But maybe that's just me.
If I'm wrong: If I'm not reading the terms of use properly, I'd be delighted if someone told me. Until then I'll separate links to the CBC's content from everything else until the rules change and hope that the CBC gets up to speed and learns what the internet is for at some point.
2 comments:
The illogic of preventing others who find value in your service from providing...what did they once call it? Ah yes, "unsolicited testimonials" as to the value of that service and referring the interested to your doorstep is something I can only attribute to the spirit of those who want what I call overzealous IP law enforcement.
If someone were to explain the logic of this particular "small print", I might better understand it. I suspect that most of the rank and file of CBC do understand with crystal clarity what the Net is for, though.
I'm out of my water with this tech stuff, but it sounds bizarre and illogical to me. Would Tim Horton's get upset over someone setting up a table of their donuts at a function? Private or public, awareness is generated when people spread the message and the product. Hm. Strange.
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