The BBC has been much under fire for decisions they have made which has favored
proprietary systems and they need to be taken to task. The originally wanted to
shut out all browsers but IE, so they have moved considerably, but for a public
institution they sure seem to be in the pocket of big business.
This of course does not help you, but it puts it into context and you should
complain loudly. There are many better formats that work well with Windows,
Linux and Mac OS, but they will do what is easiest and gives them the fastest
route if we roll over and let them get away with it. They can use flash like
Youtube or any number of other things, but have chosen the most obvious and
easiest. Open source means that it is for all and surely a public broadcaster
should get it. Someting is very wrong in the tech department of BBC.