The BBC is to charge international viewers for its iPlayer on-demand service, BBC Worldwide boss Jana Bennett said at the Banff World Television Festival. There will be a monthly subscription of around £6 (€6.8), but the exact amount has yet to be determined.
Bennett announced the international roll-out of the on-demand service, which will first launch in Western Europe with a version on the iPad.
The announcement of a monthly subscription fee comes as surprise to insiders. Originally, it was thought the BBC would use an advertising supported model for the iPlayer, but apparently these plans were shelved.
With the international iPlayer, the BBC de facto launches an over-the-top service, which will compete with on-demand services from platform operators.
