BBC is also involved with other multimedia projects, including a new a/v wrapper dubbed as material exchange format (or MXF) and BBC's plan is to use MXF as the wrapper for Dirac-encoded videos in future.
BBC hasn't made a decision yet whether it will roll out the codec as an open source project, but it is committed to release it under a 100 percent free-for-all license. It is good to remind ourselves every now and then that a closed source project can be totally, absolutely free and open source project can be vry clamped with patenting restrictions. Such is the case with all MPEG-4 -based codecs, such as XviD -- making, say, a stand-alone video player that plays XviD videos means that the manufacturer has to pay MPEG-4 licensing fees for each player, but making a Dirac -capable player would be free of such licensing fees.
More information:
The Register
BBC's Dirac homepage
ZDNet UK