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BBC Eyes Streaming Services for License Fee
14 Jul
Summary
- BBC Director General supports expanding license fee to streaming services.
- Annual fee of £180 ($240) may cover Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+.
- License fee payers dropped by over 500,000 last year.
New BBC Director General Matt Brittin is open to expanding the scope of the annual £180 ($240) license fee to include streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. This idea is being discussed as part of the BBC's future funding model negotiations with the government, especially as license fee payers have declined by over 500,000 in the past year.
Brittin noted that historically, the license fee covered live TV viewing, irrespective of the broadcaster, suggesting a precedent for including non-live streaming. He acknowledged that enforcing such an expansion would be difficult, a point the government is currently examining. The proposal aligns with UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's recent indications of support.
Furthermore, Brittin argued that streaming services benefit from the BBC's century-long investment in the UK's production infrastructure. He highlighted that major productions by streamers in locations like Cardiff are possible due to the foundation laid by the BBC's sustained commitment to the industry.
