This is a byproduct of BBC News recently turning on embedding for its videos. The deals will use the BBC’s branded player, with a superimposed BBC logo and BBC.co.uk linkbacks; videos are geoblocked to UK users only. The clips “must not be directly connected with any advertising on third party websites – for example, pre or post roll advertisements will not be permitted”, the corporation says (full T&Cs).

SEE ALSO: BBC Proposals: iPlayer For All, Open IPTV Standard, More Links

The Beeb is initially offering its vids to newspapers with over a million monthly uniques, based on Nielsen data, “to allow the BBC to best manage the process”. That means Times Online, Sun Online and Mirror.co.uk haven’t taken it. But other sites will be offered the videos “as soon as is practicable”.

BBC critics like Guardian News & Media digital director Emily Bell and Telegraph Media Group visuals head Guy Ruddle each declare themselves “delighted” in the release. The real question for the papers, who have already spent three years investing in their own original online video production - will the extra video mean cost savings from their video ops, or is it simply a stickiness pill, designed to keep users on-site for longer?

Online syndication, for the BBC, is nothing new - it already lets bloggers and others embed video and its worldwide operation has extensive distribution relationships. But, framed in the often fractious relationship between the corporation and commercial UK news operators, this deal begins to make the BBC look more like the public service content provider it is, a public wire service.

It’s a move that should please advocates of a more open BBC, and gives it the moral high ground in its ongoing defence against papers’ claims it distorts the marketplace - at least for now.

The losers in this deal - ITN On and Press Association, perhaps. Each has been steadily ramping up their online news video wires to offer to newspaper clients. But each has still been signing such contracts of late.

The BBC still has other sharing proposals it wants adopted…
—iPlayer syndication: It originally wanted to share VOD shows with sites. There is a deal in place with Telegraph.co.uk.
—Shared iPlayer: It invited other broadcasters to put their shows in to the app.
—Local papers: After offering raw video to struggling ITV franchises, it also reckons that could reduce the barrier to online video for regional newspapers.
And more. See its earlier partnership proposal.

Updated: Emailed comment from ITN CEO John Hardie: “The BBC’s plans to offer free video content to newspaper websites risk undermining the demand for content from independent news providers, potentially undercutting a very important revenue stream. The pressure on commercial news suppliers has never been greater which is why ITN has led the way in opening up valuable new lines of business, and the BBC’s latest move risks pulling the rug from under us.”