There’s something about YouTube: BBC becomes latest broadcaster to consider platform-first content

The British Broadcasting Corporation is preparing to meet audiences where they already are, on YouTube, as it moves towards producing programmes designed to launch on the platform first.

The move would mark a shift in how the BBC approaches distribution, reflecting a growing recognition of the role YouTube plays in how audiences consume video content.

According to reports by the Financial Times, the partnership would involve commissioning new content made specifically for YouTube, while also running across the BBC’s own streaming services, including iPlayer and Sounds.

The content is expected to be aimed largely at online and younger audiences, spanning formats similar to BBC Three, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The partnership reflects wider industry shifts in viewing behaviour. Audience data from Barb shows that YouTube has overtaken the BBC’s combined monthly television reach in the UK, following the platform’s inclusion in Barb’s measurement framework in late 2025.

YouTube has increasingly influenced how platforms approach distribution and monetisation, as companies across streaming, audio and social media look to attract and retain creator output.

Netflix, meanwhile, has described YouTube as a major competitor for audience attention, as it expands its investment in creator-adjacent formats following its planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

While the precise details of the BBC partnership have yet to be confirmed, the move could open up new opportunities across development and on-screen talent.

By commissioning YouTube-first content, the BBC may increasingly work with producers and creators who already understand platform-native storytelling.

Explainers, factual series, youth-focused formats and niche community content are all areas where independent creators could find new pathways into public service media.

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