TV
The BBC is planning an online service whereby users could download BBC programmes, it has been revealed.
According to the Media Guardian, the Corporation is considering the plans as a way to generate revenue from BBC Online, which has around 10m monthly readers, half of which live overseas.
Ashley Highfield, BBC director of new media, said: "The licence fee could give viewers a certain amount of credit to use a certain amount of content and once that credit has run out they would have to top it up.
"The increasing cost of distribution to the BBC is an issue. If all the BBC's content was streamed on the web it could cost several billions of pounds."
The scheme, however, would not become operational until at least 2011, the date when the BBC's charter is next renewed after 2006.
A BBC spokeswoman said: "The idea is part of our ongoing discussions to make savings across the BBC.
"We encourage an atmosphere of voicing ideas and Ashley was just talking hypothetically bandying around this idea to make money for BBC Online."
According to the Media Guardian, the Corporation is considering the plans as a way to generate revenue from BBC Online, which has around 10m monthly readers, half of which live overseas.
Ashley Highfield, BBC director of new media, said: "The licence fee could give viewers a certain amount of credit to use a certain amount of content and once that credit has run out they would have to top it up.
"The increasing cost of distribution to the BBC is an issue. If all the BBC's content was streamed on the web it could cost several billions of pounds."
The scheme, however, would not become operational until at least 2011, the date when the BBC's charter is next renewed after 2006.
A BBC spokeswoman said: "The idea is part of our ongoing discussions to make savings across the BBC.
"We encourage an atmosphere of voicing ideas and Ashley was just talking hypothetically bandying around this idea to make money for BBC Online."
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