The BBC on Thursday launched a novel defence of its licence fee by proposing to share its in-house technology, including the popular iPlayer, with other UK public service broadcasters in a move it claims could be worth over £120m to them each year.

The initiatives – which include a new set-top box connected to the internet, sharing regional news premises with ITV and waiving television listings fees – are meant to address the threat faced by the BBC over the estimated £235m funding required to maintain public service broadcasters by 2012.