U.S. users of the BBC will have to pay for their news from now on.
The U.K. news channel, with BBC Studios, is introducing a paywall model starting at $49.99 per year or $8.99 per month.
Those who subscribe will get unlimited access to the BBC’s news articles, feature stories and the 24/7 livestream of the BBC News channel. The broadcaster added on Thursday that this could be extended to ad-free doc series and films, early release podcasts and newsletters in the coming months.
The organisation’s website reaches 139 million visitors globally, including nearly 60 million in the U.S. alone.
Rebecca Glashow, CEO BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming said the goal is to serve U.S. audiences “better than ever before”.
“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,” she continued. “Over the next few months, as we test and learn more about audience needs and habits, additional long-form factual content will be added to the offer for paying users. This is a major milestone and just the beginning of an exciting new chapter.”
In the new move, all users visiting the site from within the U.S. — ascertained by a device’s geolocation — will be assessed based on how they interact with BBC content, including how much they read and how long they stay.
This approach allows casual readers to “explore freely, while offering our most engaged users the opportunity to unlock even more,” the BBC also said. “It’s a premium experience designed to keep visitors informed and connected — while directly supporting the future of independent, fact-based reporting.”
Visitors who choose not to pay will still have access to select global breaking news stories, BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service radio livestreams, BBC World Service Languages sites, and a variety of free newsletters and podcasts.
U.K. licence fee payers working or vacationing in the U.S. will still be able to access their usual content via the BBC News app, if they have installed the latest versions before traveling.
The site will remain ad-supported.
