Cash for clips?

This article reports that “The BBC is to pay viewers who send in user-generated content”, which is in direct contrast with what Pete Clifton said in his lecture.

The article, published on the day of Clifton’s lecture, says, “Just three weeks ago at the News Xchange conference in Istanbul, the News Interactive head, Pete Clifton, was asked if the BBC would pay for user-generated content (UGC).

“‘Not on the budget I've got,’ he said. ‘We don't expect to pay for it and I don't recall anyone asking for that. They retain the copyright and if they want to try and sell it elsewhere, they can.’”

This is almost word for word what he said when questioned on the topic at his lecture in Cardiff.

Clifton highlighted the danger of blurring the line between sharing material people happen to have and commissioning them to collect it. This raises issues of employment along with legal obligations regarding risk and safety.

I wonder how The Sun and Five News, who both recently announced plans to pay for UGC, are dealing with this potential banana-skin.