The BBC is considering adopting the Creative Commons copyright licensing method for its forthcoming Creative Archive.

Endorsement by the corporation would place Creative Commons (CC) on the map and herald major changes in copyright regulations similar to the open access and open source movements.

The BBC plans to create an online archive of factual television content due for release this autumn, but as a public service broadcaster the organisation has had to consider a different approach to copyright.

The US-based Creative Commons organisation was influenced by the open source software movement, and released a set of free copyright licences in 2002.

Its goal is to encourage content providers to look at ways of promoting their work online. "CC makes it clear what material is free and what is charged for. It is commercially fantastic," said David Dawson, senior ICT advisor at the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council (MLA).

An advisory panel to help the BBC choose what content to place online has also been formed. The panel consists of members from the British Film Institute, British Library, Channel 4, ITN, Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), MLA, National Archives and the Natural History Museum.

Paula Le Dieu, joint director of the Creative Archive, said the BBC liked the 'middle way to rights management' that Creative Commons offered, and was impressed by US experiences of CC.