Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video have warned the UK government they will reject a proposed rule change that would require them to help collect the BBC licence fee. The streaming giants have told the government they do not want any part in the collection process.
MPA Submits Evidence to MPs
The Motion Picture Association, which represents major US studios, submitted written evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee this week. The organisation asserted it would "caution against any suggestion that third parties such as broadcasters' VOD services and streaming providers play a role in the collection and enforcement of the licence fee."
Government Proposals
The government is reportedly warming to the BBC's preferred fix: broadening the rules so that streaming-only households pay something too, potentially while reducing how much each household pays. Proposals on the table include having services like Netflix and Disney+ share data with TV Licensing, show pop-up warnings reminding viewers they need a licence, or even block access to content until someone confirms they have paid.
However, the MPA argues that collecting the fee "remains, for good reason, the duty of the BBC and TVL, and the focus should be on making this process more effective rather than creating new responsibilities for others." The MPA says handing streamers these new duties "would likely incur new costs for business, with a downstream impact on viewers and their viewing experience."
Current Licence Fee Rules
Under current rules, households need a licence to watch live television on any platform or to use BBC iPlayer. This means viewers already technically require a licence to watch live events streamed on services such as Netflix or Prime Video, including sports rights carried live online.
The broadcaster has suggested that expanding the licence requirement more broadly to streaming households could stabilise funding and potentially reduce the overall cost per household. The annual licence fee increased to £180 in April under the UK government.
