The UK government has outlined proposals on how to reform the BBC, as part of a consultation on the broadcaster’s future which could lead to significant changes to the British institution.
The public has been invited to have its say on the future of the BBC as part of the once-in-a-decade royal charter review, which sets out the Beeb’s mission, as well as its regulatory arrangements.
The current charter, in which the BBC is predominantly funded with the licence fee, paid for by UK TV-watching households, comes to an end in December 2027.
The government’s charter review has now set out alternative ways that the Beeb could generate revenue, amidst an uncertain future for the licence fee, given the rise of subscription streaming services like Netflix and the cost of living crisis putting a strain on household finances.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has outlined these possible changes in what is known as a green paper. It includes ‘radical approaches’ in a bid to establish a sustainable long-term funding model for the BBC.
One such example in the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s proposal is the potential move to a ‘top-up subscription model’, in which some of the BBC’s TV shows could be put behind a paywall.
‘We want to explore whether the BBC could introduce a top-up subscription service for some content on BBC iPlayer, including whether this could be an effective way for the BBC to generate more commercial revenue and how it might impact the BBC’s role and audience engagement,’ this section on the government website states.
A number of approaches have been laid out, including placing ‘older’ content behind a paywall on iPlayer, after it has been available to view for a period of time for free.
Archive content or shows which are more than a year old could then be monetised, the green paper proposes. It also notes that this could include running adverts on the BBC content.
The specific TV content that would be affected by this change has not been specified.
‘A more commercial funding model could help support the BBC’s sustainability over the long-term, while reducing the burden on households,’ the document states.
‘However, this needs to be balanced against the importance of ensuring the BBC continues to deliver its public service role, including the provision of content that would be unlikely to be commercially viable.’
This is not a decision that has been made – instead, the government is suggesting possible changes the BBC could make as part of the open consultation. You can have your say here.
Outgoing BBC director general Tim Davie said the broadcaster welcomes the green paper and the beginning of the public consultation.
‘We urge everyone who cares about the success of the UK’s world-leading creative industries to have their say,’ he said.
‘At the BBC, we want change, so we can continue to deliver for the UK for generations to come. We want to secure a public service BBC that is independent, sustainably funded for the long term, and meets our audience’s needs.’
Metro contacted the BBC for further comment on this story.
Do you agree with the government's proposal?
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Yes, it will help secure the BBC's future
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No, BBC content should not be paywalled
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