The British Broadcasting Corp. is planning a new service for 2006 to let Web users download its television and radio programs up to a week after they have aired. That they're doing this isn't surprising.
More interesting was BBC Director General Mark Thompson's realization that the march of technology is forcing their hand. "I accept", he said, "the premise that if the BBC remains nothing more than a traditional TV and radio broadcaster then we probably won't deserve or get license-fee funding beyond 2016."