BBC iPlayer could go pay-per-view for archive programmes

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Ever sat down in front of the BBC iPlayer to watch a show on catch-up, only to discover that the seven-day window has expired and the programme’s nowhere to be seen? The BBC may be about to fix that.

The BBC’s considering adding a pay-per-view element to the iPlayer, with viewers charged micropayments to access programmes more than seven days after broadcast, according to The Guardian.

It’s a tricky proposition for Auntie Beeb – on the one hand, it runs the risk of being accused of charging twice for its programmes.

On the other hand, it’s no different in practice to charging for a DVD or an iTunes download, both of which the BBC already sell.

If the BBC decides to go ahead with the scheme, it won’t go ahead until 2016 – so you have a few more years of remembering to set the PVR ahead of you.

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Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge. Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones. He's also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.