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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Jim Waterson Political media editor

Half a million households cancelled BBC licence fee last year

Netflix
BBC Broadcasting House
The number of British households paying the £169.50 licence fee fell to 23.9 million. Photograph: Ian West/PA

Half a million households cancelled their licence fee last year as the BBC struggled to connect with younger audiences drifting away to Netflix and YouTube.

The stark extent of the BBC’s challenges are set out in the corporation’s annual report, which shows the total number of British households paying the £169.50 licence fee fell to 23.9 million, suggesting a growing number of people feel able to go without BBC services.

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