U.S. studios are up in arms over proposals to make them help the BBC collect its funding. The Motion Picture Association (MPA), which includes Netflix and Disney, is lobbying against any plan that would require its members to assist the BBC in enforcing the licence fee on more British households. This comes as the BBC struggles with a declining number of licence fee payers, with only 80% of the UK population currently contributing to the £180 annual fee. The BBC is seeking to modernize its funding mechanism as part of its charter renewal process, which includes extending the licence fee to households that watch non-live content via streaming services. The MPA argues that the BBC should focus on making the current process more effective rather than shifting responsibilities to third parties, which could lead to new costs and impact viewers' experiences. ITV, a UK commercial broadcaster, also expressed concerns about the proposals, warning of market distortion and regulatory overreach. The MPA supports the government's decision to reject a streamer levy, which could have negatively affected the UK's film and television sector by reducing investment in UK content.
