It isn't entirely clear from http://www.myepg.com.au/ if there is a push to allow *anyone* access to scheduling information, or only make it accessible via EIT?
The campaign we've begun at
www.myepg.com.au is designed to allow everyone, including guide aggregators such as IceTV to have free and unencumbered access to guide data in whatever form it may be available.
Overseas, EIT is available to everyone, then on top of that is another layer of aggregation by independent businesses such as IceTV who take the base data and "value-add" with a range of options & services designed to differentiate them from their competitors in the "aggregation" market.
We strongly believe that "open" guide provisioning must be made a condition of the granting of DTV broadcast license, in which case IceTV would never have had to suffer that dreadful action at the hands of Nine. Further, we are very concerned that the same body who refused to license the data to IceTV and who have now licensed it to Tivo ( = channel 7 !! ), will have no trouble, whenever it suits them shutting the door on all "non-approved" PVR devices and of course "unlicensed" aggregators.
Our campaign has but one goal, change the current situation and allow an unencumbered EPG environment to develop naturally outside the control of the networks. See our mission page here
here and the inro to the petition
here.
If what I've said here sits well with you and whoever else reads this thread, please take a few minutes to first sign the petition and then even better, select from our range of pro-forma documents and fire a few off emails or letters to the people (with addresses) we've suggested.
We'd appreciate your support.
