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The BBC is reportedly planning a 'Britflix' competitor to Netflix

The BBC is reportedly planning a 'Britflix' competitor to Netflix

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But it's just starting the development phase

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The BBC is pushing forward with plans for a subscription streaming service that'd rival offerings from Netflix and Amazon, and it has an adorable working title: Britflix. According to The Telegraph, the broadcasting corporation and its commercial rival ITV are collaborating on the Brit-centric service after receiving permission from the UK government. A series of proposals regarding the BBC's mid-term future was unveiled last week, including the suggestion that the corporation develop "some form of additional subscription services" in the coming years as a means of generating increased revenue.

"If they want to explore that kind of thing, we'd encourage them"

While Britflix is still early in the development process, the BBC has both the technology and the catalog to make it a worthy proposition. The Telegraph notes that the service would be delivered using the BBC iPlayer, which is currently used for both Hulu-esque catch-up viewing and live-streaming. Both ITV and the BBC would make their archive content available using the service, and original content would eventually be made available with the help of several production company partners. It's unclear what the service would mean for the availability of shows like Downton Abbey and Happy Valley, which have been licensed and distributed by streaming services — the former to Amazon, the latter to Netflix on an international basis — for post-broadcast viewing outside of the UK.

"We're moving into a different world where more and more content is going to be made available on demand," said UK culture secretary John Whittingdale to The Telegraph. "Collaboration with other broadcasters and other production companies we think is important. If they want to explore that kind of thing, we'd encourage them."

Update May 16th, 3:42PM ET: The sentence regarding proposals for the BBC's future has been changed to reflect the source of said proposals.