Has BBC Shot Itself in the Foot?

The BBC may have shot itself in the foot because iPlayer created a new generation of viewers who do not believe in the licence fee, Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief context officer, has suggested

Mr Sarandos said that BBC had overseen "one of the great innovations in television around the world” but there are "a lot of people" in the open market that can do it much more effectively. These new players, which include Netflix, attract a new generation of viewers who have never paid for their television but are willing to pay by subscription rather than a licence fee. 

Mr Sarandos added: “I think the more impactful one will be the ‘cord nevers’, you know, the generation that’s in high school and college today, that will likely never have pay TV and will probably not value the licence fee as much as others either.”

He added: “It feels like that’s what’s happening in increments.

“The iPlayer was one of the great innovations in television around the world. And now the BBC has announced that you have to sign in to iPlayer.

“I think the BBC has done a phenomenal job in cultivating great talent, in telling very British stories that a decade ago were almost impossible to get produced.