BBC Introduces News Paywall for U.S. Users

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U.S. users of the BBC will have to pay for their news from now on.

Beginning soon, the U.K. news channel, in partnership with BBC Studios, will implement a subscription-based access system. This system offers annual membership for approximately $49.99 or monthly access at around $8.99.

Or, more concisely:
The U.K. news channel, together with BBC Studios, is rolling out a paywall model costing about $49.99 per year or $8.99 per month for subscription.

By subscribing, you’ll gain unrestricted access to an array of BBC news articles, captivating feature stories, and a constant live feed from the BBC News channel. Moreover, the broadcaster announced on Thursday that additional perks, such as ad-free documentaries, films, early podcast releases, and newsletters, may be included in the near future.

Worldwide, the organization’s website attracts approximately 139 million viewers, with almost 60 million of those being from the United States.

Rebecca Glashow, CEO of BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming, stated that they aim to offer U.S. viewers an exceptional experience compared to any previous time.

Today marks the commencement of the next stage of our vision. We’re merging even more of the BBC’s reliable, top-tier content into a single, potent, user-friendly platform. Over the following months, as we gather insights about audience preferences and behaviors, we will progressively enrich this offering for our paying customers with more long-form factual content. This is a significant step forward and merely the beginning of an exhilarating new phase.

In this latest update, we’ll evaluate the behavior of users accessing the site from within the U.S., determined by their device’s location, based on factors such as the amount they read and the length of time they spend interacting with BBC content.

This strategy enables leisurely browsers to delve at their own pace, yet provides our dedicated followers with the chance to delve deeper, as well. BBC further explained, “It’s an exclusive experience crafted to keep users updated and connected – all while contributing to the sustenance of unbiased, fact-based journalism.

As a devoted admirer, I’m excited to share that while opting not to pay, I can still enjoy a selection of global breaking news stories, live streams of BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service radio, the BBC World Service Languages sites, and numerous free newsletters and podcasts.

UK license fee contributors can continue to enjoy their regular content through the BBC News app while working or holidaying in the USA, provided they have updated their apps to the latest versions prior to their travel.

The site will remain ad-supported.

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2025-06-26 15:24