Britflix Could be the BBC’s Alternative to Netflix

Following the new White Paper on the future of the BBC, overseen by Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, which lent its support to the British broadcaster to monetise its content online, it is understood that the BBC is planning to launch a Netflix-style video-on-demand service, tentatively branded Britflix.

Britflix will effectively take the same model as iPlayer, the BBC’s current on-demand service, which allows temporary access to programming screened within the last 30 days, add a paid subscription model, and offer customers a permanent archive, from contemporary shows to content dating back from decades ago.

“We’re moving into a different world where more and more content is going to be made available on demand. Collaboration with other broadcasters and other production companies we think is important,” Whittingdale told The Telegraph.

“If they want to explore that kind of thing, we’d encourage them,” he added. “There may come a moment in the future where all television is delivered online, and if you do that it becomes a more realistic practical possibility if you wanted to move towards an element of voluntary subscription, which is why the BBC, who see the way the world is changing, have said, ‘Yeah we will just see for the online provision, whether or not there might be a case for additional new content being delivered on a subscription service, via the iPlayer’.”

“That’s something they’re going to look at. It was their suggestion, and they have said they will draw up the scope of the trial.”

Britflix is yet to be officially announced by the BBC, but more official information is expected soon.