New Website

[David]

When Sky or Virgin et al create a Set Top Box, they negotiate licensing
fees with the content providers.
Their subscription numbers are clearly known, and thus the 'reach' of
the media is clearly known, and for what duration. All of this is built
into the negotiated price for the content, and everybody is happy.

The moment a set top box's security is breached, there's a problem. The
content providers no longer have faith in the Sky / Virgin to limit the
distribution of the media and either a) Withdraw the content or b)
command higher feeds  or sometimes c) demand compensation.

Of course, they know some people will manage to breach the security or
facilitate copying in some way. But they are counted as negligible losses.
IF the perception of a loss (say via get_iplayer) changes, then the
content providers will ask the BBC to audit their systems and estimate
the usage of get_iplayer.
If the BBC can tell how many are using it, they'll most likely be asked
to patch the loopholes and stop its use.
If the BBC can't tell hoe many are using it, they'll definitely be asked
to patch the loopholes and stop its use.

There is no outcome where the content provider says "ok, just leave it be".




The principle and intent of the site is absolute great.... making 
get_iplayer easier to use (it's still not easy for old timers!), and 
hopefully, via a few developers, improving the tool in functionality and 
maintainability.

I don't think (or I hope) nobody wants to keep get_iplayer as some 
secret toy for themselves.  I think it's a genuine concern that the 
'dream' of get_iplayer being widely used and even condoned / or 
duplicated by the BBC is a pipe dream.

Anything that puts their content at risk of being copied illegally is a 
risk, and results in lost revenue for them.
Anything that puts their partner's content at risk also puts them at 
risk of being held liable in whole or in part for losses.

We just don't want to lose get_iplayer, so some of us are wary of 
potential risk, however well intentioned.  Sadly it's like stepping 
through a minefield... the moment you touch a tripwire with the BEEB or 
a content provider, there's no stepping back from it.