BBC to open up iPlayer to third parties, double down on high-quality dramas

The BBC is fighting back against the government's aggressive TV licence fee budget by promising to open up several of its services, including its much admired iPlayer streaming platform, to third-party content creators. The broadcaster also wants to introduce new Internet-led streaming services such as BBC Newstream, a video-led mobile news channel, and iPlay, a version of iPlayer designed for children.

In addition, the BBC hopes to offset its slimmer budget by offering premium content alongside its free offering for TV licence fee payers. This would include experimenting with launching entire seasons of programming at once online, much in the way that Netflix does, to allow for "binge watching." Other types of programming could be offered, too, and while the BBC notes that its iPlayer platform is the most likely candidate for distributing this new content, "there are other ideas too," which it is currently discussing with potential partners.

While these new offerings—which also include a new digital music discovery service, and further investment in the BBC World Service in places where there is a "democratic deficit in impartial news"—could prove costly, the BBC is promising to fund them without requiring additional investment. In a speech at the Science Museum in London today, Director-General Tony Hall explained that the BBC would have "tough choices ahead."