BBC Studios is planning to sell ads on some of its podcasts in the UK on the likes of Spotify and Apple because it says advertising is the norm on commercial platforms.
It added that it would generate more revenue to support the BBC, licence-fee payers, its suppliers and rights holders.
BBC Sound won’t be affected by this as listeners will be able to continue listening ad-free.
It’s thought that the BBC’s smaller drama, comedy and factual podcasts will be the first to carry ads later this year and if it’s successful higher-profile podcasts such as Desert Island Discs and The Archers will follow.
New and current affairs podcasts won’t carry ads.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “Listeners will continue to hear BBC audio without ads on BBC Sounds, but as many of our podcasts are available on commercial platforms like Apple and Spotify where adverts are the norm, we look to carry them in some of our content to generate more revenue to support the BBC, licence fee payers, our suppliers and rightsholders.”
The News Media Association has responded to the plan with its chief executive Owen Meredith commenting: “The news that the BBC is apparently set to muscle into the UK advertising marketplace by competing with commercial players for advertising around audio output is very alarming. Such an intervention will profoundly distort competition, wreaking havoc on commercial players right across the media and advertising sector.
“The BBC must not be allowed to use the might of its licence fee-powered services in the advertising marketplace otherwise the consequences for our media could be catastrophic. This would set an extremely dangerous precedent and these plans must be stopped immediately.”
