# US access to Torchwood website blocked... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920 "2008-02-01T23:32:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/1 "2008-02-01T23:32:25Z")
…anyone know why? I’ve recently started watching the BBC show Torchwood but access to the website is restricted for “rights” reasons. Verbatim from the [website](http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/sites/content/pages/nonuk.shtml): > [@](#): > > Access to this site is restricted. > If you are outside the UK you will not be able to use [BBC Three - Torchwood](http://bbc.co.uk/torchwood) for rights reasons. The show is also run on BBC America so they know they have viewers in the US. It’s vexing because this particular show has a lot of “extras” on the website (things like captain’s logs) that I’ve read about but can’t access for myself. I can see why downloads of the show would be restricted but not the other extras. Why wouldn’t they want US viewers to be able to visit? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/2 "2008-02-01T23:51:43Z")
They do that so that you will go to [your country’s local version](http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/262/index.jsp) of the information, so it can be meted out at the correct rate and you won’t get spoiled. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/3 "2008-02-02T00:01:35Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] They do that so that you will go to [your country’s local version](http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/262/index.jsp) of the information, so it can be meted out at the correct rate and you won’t get spoiled. [/QUOTE] Huh, I didn’t know they had so much info on the BBCA site. I constantly see the Uk site referenced on fan site but not the US one. Thanks for the info, I’ll have to explore. (even tho’ I’m actually watching them on the UK schedule 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/4 "2008-02-02T04:29:13Z")
OK having explored the BBCA TOrchwood site, I am unsatisfied. I know there’s a lot more stuff on the BBC UK site: IM chat logs from the team, older case files, etc. that isn’t on the BBCA site. So I’m not buying the spoilerage explanation; I think there must be some other issue. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/5 "2008-02-05T02:29:46Z")
Your answer is at the bottom of the homepage (it let me go to the homepage for Torchwood but not to any of the inner pages) - you can watch it online. Almost every television channel website that streams online video does location filtering. I couldn’t watch Degrassi on The N because it only holds American rights, I had to wait for CTV to put it online. ---
**Author:** ![dbuzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@dbuzman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbuzman)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/6 "2008-02-05T02:39:26Z")
Oh well, just use a proxy server in the UK and the site will never know you aren’t in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/7 "2008-02-05T02:45:49Z")
[QUOTE=kushiel] Your answer is at the bottom of the homepage (it let me go to the homepage for Torchwood but not to any of the inner pages) - you can watch it online. Almost every television channel website that streams online video does location filtering. I couldn’t watch Degrassi on The N because it only holds American rights, I had to wait for CTV to put it online. [/QUOTE] But couldn’t they just block the online streaming but leave the other extras accessible? I think I may try the UK proxy server thing but I just wanted to know the reasoning behind blocking all the extras which seem like they would only help sell the show. I did read one theory that since the BBC is a government supported network, they’re not allowed to provide access to other nations. But I find that reasoning specious as I can get to most of the BBC websites, it’s just Torchwood that’s blocked. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/8 "2008-02-05T14:11:36Z")
[QUOTE=tremorviolet] I did read one theory that since the BBC is a government supported network, they’re not allowed to provide access to other nations. But I find that reasoning specious as I can get to most of the BBC websites, it’s just Torchwood that’s blocked. [/QUOTE] The BBC isn’t government funded, its paid for my british citizens. Every household which owns a device capable of getting TV signals are charge a TV License fee. Its currently 135 pounds, which is around $270 per year. If you don’t pay this you go to jail, this is probably more likely than if you don’t pay normal income tax. Its a television tax if you will. It is not advertising supported like other organisations in the UK, or the rest of the world. Personally, I find it nice that they’re actually trying to make money off of worldwide distribution rather than just gouging us for more money next year. Sure it won’t make a difference in the long run, as long as the BBC still pours out the free Champagne to its employees every friday afternoon (I knew someone who worked there). So just take it off the torrents like I do with US shows… ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/9 "2008-02-05T14:43:45Z")
[QUOTE=Smid] If you don’t pay this you go to jail, this is probably more likely than if you don’t pay normal income tax. [/quote] It’s a £1000 fine. You’ll have to cite for the rest of that. > [@Smid](#): > > It is not advertising supported like other organisations in the UK, or the rest of the world. A fair number of countries have a licence fee for TVs… and even more have government funded channels (State TV, which is infinitely more sinister than a TV tax). > [@Smid](#): > > Sure it won’t make a difference in the long run, as long as the BBC still pours out the free Champagne to its employees every friday afternoon (I knew someone who worked there). Cite? I know several people who worked in various fields (technical/engineering, production and newsroom) at the BBC (local and London) and there’s no mention of Champagne Fridays. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/10 "2008-02-05T14:51:11Z")
There are many US tv shows that we outside the US can’t watch streamed on the networks’ sites. I imagine because they sell those shows to local channels who want to get decent ratings from them when they deign to air them. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/11 "2008-02-05T14:53:31Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] There are many US tv shows that we outside the US can’t watch streamed on the networks’ sites. I imagine because they sell those shows to local channels who want to get decent ratings from them when they deign to air them. [/QUOTE] There can also be issues with licencing the music and any archive footage, that’s why the didn’t include the full “Doctor Who confidential” behind-the-scenes series on the DW DVD boxsets. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/12 "2008-02-05T16:26:28Z")
[QUOTE=Szlater] It’s a £1000 fine. You’ll have to cite for the rest of that. [/QUOTE] [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199596/ldhansrd/vo960117/text/60117-03.htm](http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199596/ldhansrd/vo960117/text/60117-03.htm) Quotation: "The Viscount of Falkland asked Her Majesty’s Government: ``` How many people are presently serving terms of imprisonment for failure to pay fines imposed for not having a current television licence. ``` The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage (Lord Inglewood): My Lords, on 30th November 1995, the most recent date for which figures are available, there were 16 people in England and Wales serving terms of imprisonment for non-payment of fines imposed for television licence evasion." If you wish to argue about it being about prison for non payment of fines, or prison for non payment of license, it ends up in the same place. > [@](#): > > A fair number of countries have a licence fee for TVs… Cite? Name two. > [@](#): > > Cite? I know several people who worked in various fields (technical/engineering, production and newsroom) at the BBC (local and London) and there’s no mention of Champagne Fridays. I love this. Cite what my friend told me. Not what my friend heard from somewhere else. What he experienced personally. Does he have to swear an oath for you? Do you wish a verbal or written statement? Signed in blood? If you wish to argue that it was not across the organisation, then fair enough, but this person got free champagne every Friday afternoon. Department was web development, early to mid 2000’s. BBC White City. London. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/13 "2008-02-05T16:41:33Z")
[QUOTE=Smid] Cite? Name two [/quote] France, Denmark, Ireland, Germany [Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_licence) It seems much more common to have a licence fee than not! > [@Snid](#): > > I love this. Cite what my friend told me. Not what my friend heard from somewhere else. What he experienced personally. Does he have to swear an oath for you? Do you wish a verbal or written statement? Signed in blood? > > If you wish to argue that it was not across the organisation, then fair enough, but this person got free champagne every Friday afternoon. Department was web development, early to mid 2000’s. BBC White City. London. You made the claim, so you need to provide proof… ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/14 "2008-02-05T16:50:22Z")
[QUOTE=Szlater] You made the claim, so you need to provide proof… [/QUOTE] Heheh. Right. Here is the assumption: 1. I am a liar. My friend never said what I said he said. 2. My friend is a liar. Or perhaps mentally incompetent through drugs, alcohol or mental illess. He imagined working at somewhere which gave him free champagne. The second one is perfectly possible. I however, believed him. As for _needing_ to providing proof. Thats your need. Not mines. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/15 "2008-02-05T16:56:30Z")
[QUOTE=Smid] As for _needing_ to providing proof. Thats your need. Not mines. [/QUOTE] Well you’ve gone from claiming a BBC-wide Champagne Friday to a “well maybe it’s just the web development team”… The burden of proof is on the person who made the claim… and if you’re going to make pretty outrageous claims against an organisation then you should at least have some proof. Especially on this messageboard! ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/16 "2008-02-05T16:59:13Z")
[QUOTE=Szlater] Well you’ve gone from claiming a BBC-wide Champagne Friday to a “well maybe it’s just the web development team”… The burden of proof is on the person who made the claim… and if you’re going to make pretty outrageous claims against an organisation then you should at least have some proof. Especially on this messageboard! [/QUOTE] Did I ever say it was all BBC employees? All BBC London employees? All BBC White City employees? ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/17 "2008-02-05T17:06:15Z")
[QUOTE=Smid] Did I ever say it was all BBC employees? [/QUOTE] > [@Smid](#): > > as long as the BBC still pours out the free Champagne to its employees every friday afternoon Looks like it. Stop trying to weasel out of your claim. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-access-to-torchwood-website-blocked/435920/18 "2008-02-05T18:03:44Z")
[QUOTE=Smid] So just take it off the torrents like I do with US shows… [/QUOTE] Well, I will say I’m watching it on the UK schedule, not the US schedule. But what I really wanted was the access to the extras like dossiers on the team members and IM conversations. I did find a way to access Season One info via a [web archive](http://web.archive.org/web/20061205222708/www.torchwood.org.uk/html/index.shtml). I’ll have to try the web proxy idea for current info.