Changes to T&Cs now mean ERA licence now partially covers iPlayer and 4oD

[AngryTechnician]

According to a recently updated page on the ERA website, the BBC and Channel 4 have recently updated their online terms & conditions to specifically allow use by organisations with a ERA licence (this was previously not the case):

 

The changes allow educational establishments holding a current ERA Licence to:

 

(a) record and access BBC Content in relevant BBC Online Services for educational purposes under the terms of an ERA Licence; and

(b) apply non-commercial educational use within the scope of the ERA Licence to access to 4oD Content within Channel 4 Online Services on the conditions that would otherwise be limited to personal, non-commercial use. Age of consent and viewer guidance terms continue to apply to any educational access.

 

Basically, it is now legal to download and store recordings from iPlayer or 4oD. Previously it was only legal to view live iPlayer streams (remember, we weren't even supposed to use the official download applications as they are normally for personal use only). Now we can, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to allow for removal of DRM from the downloads, so there will still be strict limits on how long you can keep the downloads. I do wonder whether the wording allows for recording using software other than the official apps, however.

[nickjelly]

This change in the ERA licence will be potentially massive for schools.

 

But this change has come about with no provision for schools to obtain DRM-free copies of the programmes from iPlayer and 4OD - am I right?

[AngryTechnician]

Correct, there appears to be no mechanism for obtaining DRM-free copies of downloads.

 

On the first point though, technically the ERA licence has actually not changed at all - it's the relaxation of the T&Cs of iPlayer and 4oD that means the existing ERA licence now applies. Previously, the specific T&Cs barred the ERA from being valid. I believe ERA were involved in the discussions that brought about this change, but the ERA licence itself has not been altered.

[nickjelly]

Thanks for the clarity re: iPlayer and 4OD t&cs.

 

I feel that I want to let our school community know but shouldn't because the iPlayer and 4OD content remains inaccessible.