BBC launches paywall in US for website and app
The BBC has introduced a paywall for people looking at parts of its website and app from the United States.US-based visitors to BBC.com will now have to pay $49.99 (£36) a year or $8.99 (£6.50) a month for access to most BBC News stories and features, and to stream the BBC News channel.Those who do not pay will still have ad-supported access to selected global breaking news stories, BBC Radio 4 and the World Service, as well as its language services and some newsletters and podcasts.Rebecca Glashow, CEO of BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming, described the move as a "major milestone" that would "unlock new opportunities for growth".
There will be no changes for the BBC's UK audiences or for those elsewhere around the world.The corporation hopes the offer will raise money to help fund the BBC's services alongside revenue from UK households through the licence fee, which costs £174.50 a year and accounted for about two-thirds of its total income last year.The BBC has said it expected to have a £492m budget deficit for the latest financial year.The UK government is set to review the corporation's funding model, but the BBC's director general has said switching to a subscription system for UK audiences would not "pass the test of building a universal trusted public service".The BBC's new US pay model follows similar subscription systems used by other publications including the New York Times, and the likes of the Telegraph and the Sun putting selected stories and content behind paywalls in the UK.BBC.com reaches 139 million visitors globally, including almost 60 million in the US, the corporation said.UK audiences will still be able to access BBC News when travelling to America if they have the latest version of the app.
Ms Glashow said the BBC wanted to "reimagine how we deliver" news and factual content to the US."Our goal? To serve our audiences better than ever before - and unlock new opportunities for growth," she said."Today, the next phase of that vision becomes reality. We're bringing more of the BBC's trusted, high-quality content together in one powerful, easy-to-access destination."More documentaries, podcasts and newsletters will be added to the subscription offer in the coming months.It comes after the BBC announced it was to block most stations on the BBC Sounds app for audiences outside the UK.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
38 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Elon Musk calls Trump's big bill ‘utterly insane and destructive' as Senate debates
The billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk on Saturday criticized the latest version of Donald Trump's sprawling tax and spending bill, calling it 'utterly insane and destructive. 'The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!' Musk wrote on Saturday as the Senate was scheduled to call a vote to open debate on the nearly 1,000-page bill. 'Utterly insane and destructive,' Musk added. 'It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.' Passing the package, Musk said, would be 'political suicide for the Republican Party.' Musk's comment reopens a recent fiery conflict between the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) and the administration he recently left. They also represent yet another headache for Republican Senate leaders who have spent the weekend working overtime to get the legislation through their chamber so it can pass by Trump's Fourth of July deadline. Earlier this month, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO also came out against the House version of Trump's 'big, beautiful bill', denouncing that proposal as a 'disgusting abomination'. 'This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it, he wrote at the time. Musk's forceful denouncement of Trump's spending plans triggered a deep and public rift between the billionaire and the president, though Musk in recent weeks has been working to mend relations. On Saturday, Musk posted a series of disparaging comments about the senate version of the bill, which argued the legislation would undermine US investments in renewable energy. Musk boosted several comments from Jesse Jenkins, a macro-scale energy systems engineer who teaches at Princeton. After Jenkins wrote, 'The energy provisions in the Republicans' One Big Horrible Bill are truly so bad! Who wants this? The country's automakers don't want it. Electric utilities don't want it. Data center developers don't want it. Manufacturers in energy intensive industries don't want it.' Musk replied: 'Good question. Who?' Musk's continued criticism of Trump's budget proposals comes as the bill faces a rocky path in the senate. Republicans are hoping to use their majorities to overcome Democratic opposition, but several Republican senators are concerned over provisions that would reduce spending on Medicaid and food stamps to help cover the cost of extending Trump's tax breaks. Meanwhile, fiscal conservatives are worried about the nation's debt are pushing for steeper cuts. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each.
Daily Mail
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
America's 'toughest city to own a home' sees prices plummet... but there's a dire warning for bargain hunters
A new study reveals a Louisiana hub is the 'toughest city in America' to own a home, and an expert says that despite falling house prices those looking to increase their wealth should not buy there. New Orleans was ranked last out of 100 major US cities for residential real estate in a new study and the findings reveal why it may be the worst place in America to buy a home.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Trade war escalates: Canada hikes duties as Trump halts negotiations
The response came hours after Trump posted on Truth Social about how Canada is a 'very difficult country to trade with.' His reason for suspending trade negotiations came down to a tax Canada is set to impose on major tech companies starting Monday. 'Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately,' Trump wrote, adding that the levy 'is a direct and blatant attack on our Country.' Last week, the finance minister said he would not delay the implementation of the digital services tax, which applies to any firm making more than $15 million from Canadian internet users. The three percent tax will strike at the heart of American companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber and Airbnb. And because the tax is retroactive back to 2022, one tech lobbying group said American firms will soon have to pay up to $3 billion directly into Canada's treasury. Canada has not ruled out further action to strike back at Trump for ending negotiations, with the government saying it 'remains prepared to take additional steps as needed.' How Canada's hike on US steel imports will affect the industry, which has been struggling for years, is yet to be seen. US Steel Corporation, once one of the most valuable companies in the world, just merged with Japan's Nippon Steel earlier this month after years of declining sales. Canada is also hugely impacted by Trump's 50 percent tax on steel and aluminum imports, as the country is largest foreign supplier of those materials to the US. Canada's steel industry has laid off a staggering 1,000 workers since the first US tariffs in March, Reuters reported. It has also been impacted by the 25 percent duties Trump has levied on foreign-made vehicles and parts.
