BBC Studios Purchases ITV’s Half of BritBox International, Giving It Full Control Over the Streamer in US
In a move reminiscent of Hulu’s latest dealings, BritBox is now coming under the control of a single company.
It’s a little strange to see streaming services that are controlled by more than one company these days. Hulu, for example, is finally in the process of coming under the full ownership of Disney, after years of being split between that company, Fox and Comcast. The journey of BritBox from multiple owners to one has been far swifter, as BBC Studios has announced it has acquired ITV’s 50% stake in the international arm of British-focused streaming platform.
- BBC Studios paid $322 million for ITV’s stake in BritBox.
- Extended licensing agreements will keep ITV content available to stream on Britbox for years to come.
- A change in ownership could signal big incoming changes for BritBox.
BBC Studios, which is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC British public service broadcaster, completed the purchase of BritBox International for $322 million, far less than the $8.6 billion (minimum) that Disney is paying for one-third of Hulu. The deal will give BBC Studios full control over the BritBox streaming platform outside of the United Kingdom, and the service will be folded into the channel’s Global Media and Streaming division. The BritBox streamer in the U.K. remains owned by ITV.
Related: Top 5 Titles Coming to BritBox in March 2024
“This is an important acquisition for us,” BBC Studios CEO Tom Fussell said. “We are taking full ownership of a successful, growing service we know well and that fits with our stated ambition to double the size of our business. BritBox International has British content at its heart and it generates and satisfies demand for British shows outside the UK. We will continue to make significant investments in the future to deliver long term value to the BBC.”
How Will BBC Controlling 100% of BritBox Affect Customers?
BritBox International now has approximately 3.75 million subscribers, and those customers can expect to continue to see ITV-created titles remain on BritBox, as ITV has agreed to an extended licensing deal to keep those shows available on the international version of the streamer for years to come.
Outside of that licensing agreement, however, the consequences of the BBC’s takeover of BritBox are a little harder to predict. Because of the unique dual-ownership nature of the non-U.K. part of the streamer, it is difficult to know what changes the BBC might look to make now that it has complete control over the streamer. However, as the streaming industry has evolved in recent years, even niche streamers like BritBox have been making changes similar to those of the largest players in the market.
For instance, BritBox currently features just one pricing tier in the United States; an ad-free plan for $8.99 per month or $89.99 annually. Virtually every major domestically-based streaming service has rolled out an ad-supported plan in the last 18 months, with Prime Video being the latest example. If BBC is interested in increasing revenue and growing its customer base, introducing a cheaper ad-supported streaming option could be an option.
The BBC’s buyout of ITV’s stake in BritBox International could also indicate that content cuts are on the way. Most streamers cut their streaming libraries to some degree in 2023 or before, attempting to lower back-end costs on shows that don’t draw enough subscriber attention to make them worth the time or money to offer. That’s the last thing fans want to hear, but if the BBC wants to make BritBox profitable sooner rather than later, this could be a step the company feels is necessary. However, given the fact that BBC Studios is a Longdon-based company and is a for-profit subsidiary of a government-funded entity, its goals and strategies might not mirror those of traditional streaming services.
In the U.S., BritBox carries a wide range of Britsh TV and movies, from hot titles like classic “Doctor Who” episodes and “Luther” to originals such as Irvine Welsh’s “Crime,” “Shetland,” and much more. The service is an Anglophile’s dream, and now it’s owned fully by the most British channel of them all: the BBC.
BritBox
BritBox is a hub for hundreds of TV shows and films produced in the UK. Enjoy your favorite classics like Doctor Who (1963) and Mr. Bean (1990), new original series like Sticks and Stones (2019) and There She Goes (2018), and watch special live events, tune into premieres, and keep up to date with current affairs and soap operas streaming direct from the UK. Oftentimes programming that premieres in the UK can be viewed internationally at the same time via the service.