1. A method comprises: determining whether to error encode broadcast data; and when the broadcast data is to be error encoded: encoding a portion of the broadcast data using an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a set of encoded broadcast data slices; for the set of encoded broadcast data slices, determining whether to compress the set of encoded broadcast data slices; and when the set of encoded broadcast data slices is to be compressed, selecting a subset of encoded broadcast data slices of the set of encoded broadcast data slices.