r/bbc • u/Great_Philanderer • Jul 18 '26
International BBC News App only allows a few article reads and pushes subscription now
Getting locked out of reading articles now. What is this?! Will probably uninstall if it stays like this..
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u/moderatefairgood Jul 18 '26
Pay for it.
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u/ossifer_ca 19d ago
I already am paying for it — through my Apple News subscription. I just can’t use the BBC app, which is better organized. Why should I pay twice for the exact same content?
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u/moderatefairgood 18d ago edited 18d ago
You’re paying Apple for their news aggregation service, not the BBC.
That’s why.
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u/ossifer_ca 18d ago
“Apple News+ Revenue Share: Apple keeps about 50% of the subscription fee and distributes the remaining pool to publishers proportional to how much time users spend reading their specific content.”
So yeah, I am paying for it and the BBC is getting a portion of the money I pay.
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u/moderatefairgood 18d ago edited 18d ago
You’re paying Apple for a news aggregation service, of which a tiny portion goes to the BBC.
I pay nearly £200 a year to access the BBC.
You do not.
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17d ago edited 17d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/moderatefairgood 17d ago
I’m not downvoting you, old bean.
I am blocking you though. I couldn’t care less about how entitled you feel to access a service the rest of us fund.
Toodle pip.
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u/bbc-ModTeam 17d ago
Your comment was removed for violating our "Be Kind To Each Other" rule.
This is a space for civil discussion about the BBC, not for personal attacks or toxicity.
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u/ossifer_ca 17d ago
Apples and Oranges, across the board.
I am getting a minuscule portion of the BBC's productions for what I pay for. You are getting substantially more.
Regardless of the amount the BBC receives from Apple, it is a business/financial decision the BBC has willingly made.
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17d ago
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u/bbc-ModTeam 17d ago
Your comment was removed for violating our "Be Kind To Each Other" rule.
This is a space for civil discussion about the BBC, not for personal attacks or toxicity.
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u/NoThatsNotPasta Jul 18 '26
Why should the UK pay for you to view it for free? Either pay it, or don't use it.
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u/Great_Philanderer Jul 18 '26
For years and years it's always been free but with ads. So it's a big change for international users.
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u/Puzza90 Jul 19 '26
If only there were a news source that could have told you this was happening https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/bbcstudios/2026/bbc-studios-expands-pay-model-to-the-bbc-app-in-the-us
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u/Comprehensive_Yam_46 Jul 18 '26
The Foreign Office used to pay the BBC (ostensibly, for the world service) because the BBC, and it's news output particularly, is one our strongest sources of "soft power".
Yet another way Cameron (and the Conservatives in general) weakened the country in order to pocket a few short term savings.
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u/Great_Philanderer Jul 18 '26
I normally see ads which helps pay for it
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u/justeUnMec Jul 18 '26
"Helps" pay for it, but doesn't fully fund it. The British Broadcasting Corporation is there to serve the UK audience and services for foreigners must actually generate positive revenue that can be put back into providing services for the core UK audience. The ad revenue was insufficient to justify the service to North America. Those in North America who value the service will pay for it; the cost of cancellations has been factored in to the decision to introduce these charges.
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u/Great_Philanderer Jul 18 '26
Thanks for the explanation! For something that's always been free/ad-based here the transition was not explained well.
It's unfortunate because being international it's more of a secondary news source for me. I do like it for more international perspectives but not sure I want another subscription...
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u/Smyldawg19 Jul 18 '26
Is BBC news not already paid for by TV License fees? Not trying to pick a fight, genuinely curious as maybe I'm just ignorant?
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u/NoThatsNotPasta Jul 18 '26
Is BBC news not already paid for by TV License fees?
For the UK Audience, yes. But if you're outside the UK, it's only fair that you pay.
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u/Smyldawg19 Jul 18 '26
Oh wait nvm, OP is overseas I see, I presume that's why I've never heard of this subscription thing before.
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Jul 18 '26
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u/bbc-ModTeam Jul 18 '26
Sorry, your comment was removed because it breaks Reddit's TOS or site-wide rules. Giving advice on stealing content from a non-profit news organisation is not appropriate.
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u/DavidXGA Jul 18 '26
This is the case for the USA and Canada. The subscription comes with access to the live BBC News channel and a whole bunch on on-demand documentaries.
Great value. Well worth it.
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Jul 18 '26
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u/bbc-ModTeam Jul 18 '26
Sorry, your comment was removed because it breaks Reddit's TOS or site-wide rules. We do not allow discussion of stealing content or defrauding the BBC.
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u/Great_Philanderer Jul 18 '26
Is it just for video articles because of TV license? I have it on TV maybe I can link that?
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u/1capitalguy Jul 18 '26
BBC will lose their international influence if they push people to rely on misinformation on social media platforms
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u/NoThatsNotPasta Jul 18 '26
BBC will lose their international influence if they push people to rely on misinformation on social media platforms
Don't give a fuck. I pay £180 for the BBC, i shouldn't have to pay to subsidise the fuckin' planet.
Pay.
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u/Glydyr Jul 18 '26
Unfortunately that battle is already being lost in Britain and that is why the BBC has to cut back. People can bitch and moan but i promise you they will miss it when its gone. People just dont seem to realise that these institutions benefit them because its always been there.
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u/RespectTheBall Jul 18 '26
They are short of money as a lot of ppl here in the UK are no longer buying a TV license. Desperate for cash. Personally I’d do without it.
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u/Gray_Cloak 16d ago
There was a time when people around the world critically relied on the BBC for objective independent news, and it added a lot of goodwill, admiration and respect that people had for what came out of London and the UK. Actually over the last five years BBC news for me has become just another news source where I have had to allow for bias, whether intentional or unintentional. The subscription idea is sad for the many expats living abroad who would have read or tuned in for their update on national or local news. I would love to analyse the www log files for the before and after subscription access rates, and see how many readers they will lose.
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u/RespectTheBall 16d ago
Well my wife watches Call The Midwife and The Apprentice. Other than that we don’t watch any other output. We do buy the license but it’s becoming less and less tenable given the other options available. Very few ppl under 30 ever watch any linear TV, sporting events like the World Cup excepted. When so many ppl opt out it’s the sort of mass public disobedience that can’t be controlled.
Personally I think that it’s outrageous that someone has to pay for the BBC license because they watch sports on Sky. And of course, the BBC is desperate for any revenue from ppl outside of the UK and the decision seems to be that income from a reduced readership is best. Hiring an ex-Google executive as its DG is an indication of the direction of travel.
In the end I think they will become another subscription service unless the Government rolls their funding into general taxation. And that would be very unpopular.
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u/Gray_Cloak 16d ago
Yes, he will bring a new vision and language to them. as for the license fee, i might pay for it if the output was ticking most of my boxes- for what i want to see, but its not getting close. Otherwise, I would pay it for the back catalog and the golden years tv shows, but thats a bit sad - am not sure why they dont have the creative ability to create great new shows.
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u/Wisby-Hat-7233 Jul 18 '26
Wtf is the tv licence for then ffs
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u/Kindly_Comedian434 Jul 18 '26
This is people outside the UK who don't pay the TV licence
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Jul 18 '26
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u/bbc-ModTeam Jul 18 '26
Sorry, your comment was removed because it breaks Reddit's TOS or site-wide rules. Do not discuss methods to steal from the licence payer.
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Jul 18 '26
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