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from the one-more-reason-to-cut-the-cord dept.
The BBC is planning to launch a subscription-based video streaming service in the United States.
BBC director general Tony Hall said he wanted to "try out businesses that go direct to the public" to boost the income of BBC Worldwide.
The new service, which could launch in 2016, will not affect agreements with other services such as Amazon and Hulu.
One expert told BBC News the service would probably appeal to a "niche" audience.
Lord Hall said the new service would showcase the "best of British" television to audiences in the US.
"We're launching a new over-the-top video service in America offering BBC fans programmes they wouldn't otherwise get - showcasing British actors, our programme-makers - and celebrating our culture," he said in a speech on Thursday.
Will balkanization work for streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and now the BBC?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @05:44PM
The United States has benefited greatly (and also suffered some) by making "culture" one of its exports.
Sure. But the rest of the world, especially minority culture, has suffered greatly from American uncultural export. 'We're all living in America', as Rammstein put it.
(Score: 2) by aclarke on Tuesday September 22 2015, @07:48PM
That was pretty much my point. The United States has benefited from its culture exports, and the rest of us could do with some diversity.
That Rammstein song is great. I happen to be "next door" in the Netherlands at the moment, and spent some time shopping for clothes for my kids this evening. I was really struck by how many of the labels sound vaguely American. For example, I saw a jacket branded "America State College" or something like that. It's this "American culture" (it's hard not to put that in quotes) that's exported and translated worldwide. The BBC somewhat fulfils this role for the UK, but it has the opportunity to be more.