The creative industries have called upon the UK government to stop plans that would allow the BBC to run advertising on its audio content in the UK in an letter.
The letter was addressed to Lisa Nandy, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport and was signed by 18 signatories including Global, Guardian Media Group, dmg media, Newsquest, News UK and Bauer.
It aims to show the “disproportionate” impact the move would have on the country’s independent audio sector.
The proposals were first laid out in the BBC Charter Review Green Paper, which set out several options for ways in which the BBC could secure future funding. The signatories believe the plan to permit advertising on third-party platforms to be a “high-risk, low-reward proposition”.
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Research from Compass Lexicon shows that the BBC could generate around £10 million a year from audio advertising, however the signatories argue that the BBC’s existing audio businesses represent around 0.25 per cent of the current £3.8 billion in license fee income.
Matt Payton, Radiocentre CEO, said: “BBC podcasts should remain ad-free in the UK, however they’re produced or distributed. Pressing ahead with this ill-conceived proposal in face of the evidence would only succeed in damaging home-grown audio businesses, while raising limited additional funds for the BBC.
“We urge the government to now rule out this proposal which would be deeply unpopular with audiences.”
According to the signatories, the move is also opposed by audiences, with polling suggesting “almost two-thirds of the public oppose advertising around BBC content on top of the licence fee”.
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