BBC backtracks on having adverts in some UK podcasts

The BBC has "decided to regularisation out" placing adverts connected immoderate of its podcasts for UK listeners connected sites specified arsenic Apple and Spotify.

Last year, the corp revealed it planned to enactment ads successful immoderate of its podcasts connected commercialized platforms to "generate much gross to enactment the BBC".

But some of Britain's biggest media companies objected - including ITV, Sky, commercialized vigor giants Bauer and Global, and Gary Lineker's accumulation institution Goalhanger - with a associated missive to the authorities informing that the determination would beryllium "disastrous" for the UK podcast market.

The BBC said: "We person listened to feedback and having considered the options carefully, we person decided to regularisation retired placing adverts astir BBC licence-fee funded programmes connected 3rd enactment podcast platforms successful the UK."

Under the plan, adverts would not person been placed successful shows connected the corporation's ain audio platform, BBC Sounds.

The missive sent by the media companies to the authorities past May said: "Forcing users to migrate to BBC Sounds if they privation to perceive contented ad-free besides has the interaction of putting BBC Sounds astatine a chiseled vantage arsenic a platform, having an unfair competitory vantage erstwhile it comes to contention betwixt listening platforms."

It added: "These changes are highly apt to person a important adverse interaction connected just and effectual contention successful the UK podcast market."

Podcast advertizing was worthy £76m successful 2022, it said, compared with the BBC's income of £5.7bn.

The BBC's program for adverts connected podcasts, listed successful the 2024/2025 yearly plan, had said it would "assess this connection for compliance with our regulatory obligations".

The corp presently gets astir of its income from the licence fee, which costs £169.50 a year.

BBC Studios sells ads connected BBC podcasts extracurricular the UK.

When the program to bash the aforesaid successful the UK was announced a twelvemonth ago, the BBC said it would "generate much gross to enactment the BBC, licence-fee payers our suppliers and rights holders".

Last year, manager wide Tim Davie said the broadcaster's yearly savings people would emergence to £700m a twelvemonth by 2028.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has started negotiations with the BBC astir the corporation's backing aft its existent royal charter expires successful 2027.

The charter, drawn up by the government, sets retired the presumption and purposes of the BBC's beingness and usually lasts for astir a decade.

In January, Nandy ruled retired backing the BBC from taxes if the licence interest was to beryllium abolished.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport declined to remark connected the BBC's podcast decision.