The BBC is planning a landmark deal with YouTube under which it will produce programmes for the platform for the first time.
According to a report in UK broadsheet The Financial Times, the BBC will produce bespoke shows for the Google-owned US tech platform, which will subsequently be featured on the UK broadcaster’s iPlayer and Sounds platforms.
It is expected the BBC will be able to monetise these shows through advertising when shown outside the UK.
In the UK, the BBC does not raise money through advertising for programming and is heavily dependent on the licence fee.
The deal speaks to the BBC’s need to connect with younger audiences, while facing stiff competition from the US streamers as well as YouTube’s own growing dominance.
In December, the number of people watching YouTube in the UK overtook the BBC’s combined channels for the first time, according to rating agency Barb. Close to 51.9 million people watched YouTube on TVs, smartphones and laptops in December, with almost 50.8 million who watched the BBC (based on viewers who watched for more than three minutes).
Screen has contacted BBC and YouTube for comment.
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