BBC to start charging US-based consumers for news and TV coverage - ‘Premium experience’ for US users will include BBC News livestream as broadcaster looks overseas for income boost

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/jun/26/bbc-usa-paid-subscription-news
Credit: Michael Savage Media editor for The Guardian, Thu 26 Jun 2025 05.00 EDT
Archive: https://archive.ph/uvS4J

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The BBC is to begin charging US-based users for unlimited access to its news content and rolling televised coverage, as it searches for new ways to ease the pressure on its finances.

In the first scheme asking users outside the UK to pay a direct subscription for its news content, US users will be offered the chance to pay for a “premium experience”, including unlimited news and feature articles and a livestream of the BBC News channel.

Ad-free documentary series, films, early access to podcasts and exclusive newsletters will be tested as part of the deal, which launches on Thursday and will be targeted at those who are already heavy users of the BBC’s content.

It comes after the Guardian revealed earlier this month that BBC bosses were considering the idea. The initial phase of the launch will offer the premium package for $49.99 (£37) a year, or $8.99 (£6.60) a month.

Senior BBC figures believe there is a real opportunity to raise far more commercial income in the US. They believe there could be an appetite to pay for its brand of journalism, given the politically partisan reputation of some US television networks.

It will see the BBC compete directly with the likes of CNN, headed by the former BBC director general Mark Thompson, which is launching a streaming subscription service later this year.

Currently, users in the US can access BBC journalism for free through BBC.com, which is overseen by the corporation’s commercial arm, BBC Studios. Unlike in Britain, where users pay for content through the licence fee, BBC.com already carries advertising.

The search for subscribers in the US is a sign of the BBC’s desperation to boost its ailing coffers. Income from the licence fee has fallen significantly over the last 15 years, while it has also had to contend with the inflated costs of making television after the arrival of the big streamers.

The move also demonstrates the BBC’s willingness to explore new revenue streams to ministers as talks begin over the renewal of its royal charter – a process that will decide the immediate future of its funding model.

Rebecca Glashow, the chief executive of BBC global media and streaming, said: “We see the BBC as the world’s most trusted global news brand, and we have heard that time and time again. We provide incredibly distinctive global news reporting in this market and we have a distinct relationship with our audiences, where they trust us. And I don’t have to tell you how incredibly valuable and hard it is to create that relationship with consumers in this moment.”

While this is the furthest the corporation has gone in terms of charging overseas audiences for its news coverage, it does already charge for other content. In the US market, consumers pay to access the BBC Select documentary service via Prime Video, Apple TV and Roku. The BBC also owns the BritBox streaming service.

The corporation has been targeting the US for some time, recently relaunching its overseas website and app. BBC.com now reaches 139 million visitors globally, including nearly 60 million in the US.

US consumers who opt not to pay for the premium service will still have access to some free BBC content, including selected breaking news stories, podcasts, newsletters and radio livestreams. Licence fee payers travelling to the US will still have access to the BBC’s content through its updated app.
 
It's afraid.... IT'S AFRAID!!!

US bro's, don't pay for this shit. We're trying out best to destroy this monster from within, please don't fund it from without.
My UK brother in christ, do not fear, no one here cares about the BBC. The only time I ever hear it is when NPR plays the BBC world service because they don't want to replay their awful original content.

Just archive it. Nine times out of ten their paywalls are so shit a simple archive is all that's required to get around them
You know instead of archiving garbage you can just turn off javascript in your browser right? Faster too.
 
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You know instead of archiving garbage you can just turn off javascript in your browser right? Faster too.
Eh, I like to have an archive. In case they backpeddle from their garbage
 
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Just the US and not foreign—and I mean this in a neutral sense, like on a torrenting service for users that don't seed after downloading—leeches in general? Trump just ass-fucked Canada for trying this sneaky bullshit to get around direct tariffs, I don't think it's going to end well for Britain either.
 
Dis ting too racist o. How we Nigerian immigrants go take get our news if BBC begin charge us?
 
Senior BBC figures believe there is a real opportunity to raise far more commercial income in the US. They believe there could be an appetite to pay for its brand of journalism, given the politically partisan reputation of some US television networks.
>The BBC
>Not politically partisan
I would sooner give money to Don Sargone and his merry band of Little Englanders than the BBC.
 
Every single fucking news site has a fucking paywall now and I wonder if any of the news sites wonder why less and less people care.
I can't even read local news because everything is paywalled.
Newspapers used to cost money. Do you expect these media companies to run for free? :smug:

newspapers did used to be free
 
In the chicago land area they used to play bbc programming and made the amerifat taxpayer pay for it on public broadcasting, WTTW 11. I'm throwing some bongs in the harbor soon.
 
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