[LINK] the chaser goes away

[Kim Holburn]

<http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/offshore-interest-in-chaser-gags/ 
2007/06/13/1181414362929.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1>

> The ABC is finalising plans to re-sell The Chaser's War on  
> Everything to overseas TV networks.
>
> The satirical show has grown an international following thanks to  
> the ABC's policy of allowing its shows to be accessed for free  
> through its website and uploaded to video sharing sites like YouTube.
>
> A source close to the show said ABC had sold repackaged episodes to  
> TV networks in European countries like Finland and Germany. The  
> international versions would not include the Australia-specific  
> stunts but would bundle together the more generic segments that  
> could appeal to an overseas audience.

> Part of the reason for the international appeal is no doubt the  
> sheer audacity of some of the stunts - there's no subject too  
> sacred for a Chaser prank.

I found this snippet particularly interesting, what a different view  
of copying:

> Gibson said that since the ABC was a public broadcaster without an  
> advertising budget, using the web and sites like YouTube for  
> promotion was critical.
>
> "As a public broadcaster which wants its content to be seen in as  
> many parts of the world on as many platforms as possible, and has a  
> commitment to access and equity and material being available for  
> free, then it's absolutely vital that we are pretty loose and  
> liberal with the use of our content," she said.
>
> Gibson added that ABC's decision to make the show available as a  
> free download from its website had actually increased, not  
> threatened, sales of the show on DVD.
>
> This contrasts with the views of most commercial networks, which go  
> to extreme lengths to control the distribution of their content.
>
> It's unclear how many overseas fans download the Chaser episodes  
> from ABC's site every week, but Ritchie said the total downloads  
> were increasing rapidly.
>
> "Year on year, total vodcast downloads of The Chaser's War on  
> Everything have increased by 363% from 360,000 last year to 1.7  
> million this year," he said.
>
> "Weekly downloads during the broadcast of Series 2 on ABC TV are  
> averaging 167,000 this year."

--
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
Ph: +39 06 855 4294  M: +39 3494957443
mailto:kim at holburn.net  aim://kimholburn
skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request

Democracy imposed from without is the severest form of tyranny.
                           -- Lloyd Biggle, Jr. Analog, Apr 1961