BBC weighs iPlayer gate for licence-fee holdouts
BBC executive Kerris Bright told staff the broadcaster may revisit proof checks on iPlayer as licence-fee opt-outs squeeze funding.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
The BBC is considering whether iPlayer could one day be closed to UK viewers who do not pay the licence fee, although one senior executive told staff the sums do not currently stack up.
Kerris Bright, the broadcaster’s chief customer officer, discussed the idea during an all-staff call on Monday, according to audio obtained by Deadline. Bright said putting a stricter access check in front of iPlayer could become an “opportunity” later, as technology and viewing habits shift.
For now, she told employees, the BBC’s data suggests the move would create more hassle than help. Bright said most licence-fee evasion is not happening through iPlayer, while most people using the streaming service are already paying.
That makes any hard gate a risky fix, in her view, because it could snare legitimate users in extra checks while failing to bring in enough extra money. Deadline reported that Bright said the cost of introducing tougher controls may exceed the revenue gained under current conditions.
Why iPlayer is in the spotlight
BBC iPlayer already requires users to sign in with a BBC account. Viewers are also sometimes asked whether they hold a TV licence, but the service does not require them to prove it.
Bright told staff that asking viewers to find and enter licence details would be a difficult experience, according to Deadline’s account of the meeting. She said the broadcaster would continue to examine the issue as the UK moves toward more internet-based television and as audience behavior changes.
The debate lands as the BBC faces pressure over its funding. Deadline reported that more than 500,000 people opted out of the licence fee during the broadcaster’s most recent financial year, adding to a squeeze on its finances.
The same report said 94% of the UK population uses the BBC each month, while fewer than 80% pay the £180 annual fee. The BBC is trying to narrow that gap and can no longer rely on cash reserves to support operations, Deadline reported.
Licence fee model under review
The broadcaster is also talking to the UK government about its next charter, a process expected to bring changes to how the BBC is funded.
BBC director general Matt Brittin said earlier this month that the corporation should do more to enforce licence-fee collection under the present system, while also arguing that the existing model is outdated. In remarks reported by Deadline, Brittin called it “yesterday’s model” and said it was “no longer fit for purpose.”
The BBC has not publicly committed to a single replacement for the licence fee. Deadline reported that the corporation believes the government should take another look at a compulsory household levy, an option ministers previously rejected.
Another option being examined would widen the licence fee so it also applied to subscribers of streaming services including Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video. Deadline reported that the Motion Picture Association, which represents major US streamers and studios, has already objected to that idea.
For iPlayer viewers, the immediate message from Bright was caution. The BBC may see a future case for tougher access controls, but its current data says a lockdown would bring friction for paying users without acting as a quick answer to the funding problem.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.