BBC Considers Paywall for U.S. Audience to Boost Revenue

The BBC is exploring a paywall for U.S. consumers to counter declining license fee income and competition from streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube. Options include donation prompts, free basic services with premium content fees, or a full paywall. Last year, the BBC lost 500,000 license fee payers, per The Guardian.

 
Plans to introduce ads in BBC Sounds podcasts were scrapped due to pushback from rival podcast providers, the BBC reported. A U.S. paywall could spark backlash from audiences concerned about quality declines.

 
To strengthen its global presence, the BBC appointed six regional directors this year to oversee operations and editorial content in regions including the Americas, Africa, Asia Pacific, Central and South Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa.

 
Despite a 12% revenue drop last year, the BBC’s five-year revenue trend remains positive.