"Letters and Numbers" Geoblocked to USA

[irwinsjournal.com]

Thanks to a post here about "Letters and Numbers," the Australian version of "Countdown" which is being aired by SBS, my family and I have been enjoying the episodes posted online.   Even the kids were getting into it (although sometimes because their dad could not come up with a reasonable word, or solve the "Word Mix" coming in and out of breaks).

Unfortunately, it appears that SBS is geoblocking the Episodes past #12, and might be getting around to geoblocking the earlier episodes that we'd already watched.  (The series is up to #20 at this writing.)  What I get when clicking on an episode is "Geoblocked" and the message "This video is not available in your region".  

I know that SBS doesn't get any ratings bump from a family watching here in the USA.  Or perhaps they are not licensed to allow their version of the game to be viewed outside of Australia.  

At any rate, it was certainly a fun show to watch -- good while it lasted.  My wife and I honeymooned in Australia almost 20 years ago so we have a particular affection for the country and it was great to enjoy a little bit more from "down under."

My main point is to thank those here on the board who mentioned that this show existed so that we had a chance to watch when we could!

[Ian Wallis]

That sort of thing really bugs me.  I know there are copyrights and everything involved, but I thought the world wide web would/should give us access to "the whole world".  Slowly but surely borders are going up and it's becoming very regionalized for a lot of product.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'246482\' date=\'Aug 27 2010, 01:58 PM\']but I thought the world wide web would/should give us access to "the whole world".[/quote]
Are you really blaming the medium? Really?

[parliboy]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'246484\' date=\'Aug 27 2010, 04:08 PM\'][quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'246482\' date=\'Aug 27 2010, 01:58 PM\']but I thought the world wide web would/should give us access to "the whole world".[/quote]
Are you really blaming the medium? Really?
[/quote]
It might be more appropriate to say that he's blaming the marketing of the medium.  That is, it's not really the World Wide Web unless you have access to the Wide World; so don't call it such.

I know it's a bit of fallacy, but I sympathize a little.

[Joe Mello]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'246484\' date=\'Aug 27 2010, 05:08 PM\'][quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'246482\' date=\'Aug 27 2010, 01:58 PM\']but I thought the world wide web would/should give us access to "the whole world".[/quote]Are you really blaming the medium? Really?[/quote]
Sounded like he was lamenting regulation of the medium, some of which is (imo) needed.

Millionaire changing formats is more lamentable than this.

[Brig Bother]

Tangentally, you might find this quite interesting:

Le Mot Le Plus Long

It's a feature on the show that begat Des Chiffres et Des Lettres.

[tpirfan28]

[quote name=\'Brig Bother\' post=\'246503\' date=\'Aug 28 2010, 10:29 AM\']Le Mot Le Plus Long[/quote]
Absolutely fascinating.  It would have been interesting as an import to the US in the late 60s...

[Ian Wallis]

Sounded like he was lamenting regulation of the medium

Exactly.