After a tiring day at the office, most Brits like nothing better than to put their feet up with a cup of tea and watch the “telly.” Yet more and more now are turning to the Internet to get their TV fix. And while video-sharing sites like YouTube (GOOG) and Daily Motion are popular, the real push into online video is being led by a surprising actor: old-media stalwart British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC).The BBC’s remarkable success in delivering its news, entertainment, and educational programming via the Internet has caught the attention of broadcasters all around the world. Traditional TV companies — both producers and distributors — are nervous the Net will undermine their business models, yet they badly want to jump on the bandwagon. The BBC has proved an unexpected trailblazer and is now a model for companies such as Italy’s RAI and Germany’s RTL, which are looking to replicate the BBC’s popularity in their home markets.
http://businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jul2008/gb2008072_556416.htm