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.