Industry leaders have welcomed a move by the BBC to drop plans to  introduce advertising on some of its audio content including podcasts.

As previously reported, the corporation wants to introduce advertising around its podcasts and on-demand radio shows when they are streamed via third-party services such as Apple and Spotify.

But the move sparked a backlash among commercial media operators, with regional publishers Reach, Newsquest and National World among those who wrote to the culture secretary to voice alarm at the plans.

They said the proposal would fundamentally undermine the BBC’s existing model, creating a situation where it was receiving both licence fee income and advertising income to fund audio content.

The BBC has now confirmed it is not going ahead with the idea.

It said: “We have listened to feedback and having considered the options carefully, we have decided to rule out placing adverts around BBC licence-fee funded programmes on third party podcast platforms in the UK.”

The move was welcomed by Owen Meredith, pictured, chief executive of the News Media Association.

Posting on X, he said: “This is a welcome change of heart from the BBC showing an understanding of how their unique funding and position, when abused, can have a detrimental impact on the commercial media landscape.”

Matt Payton, chief executive of radio industry trade body Radiocentre, described the move as “right for audiences as well as the many businesses investing in podcasts in the UK”.

“The BBC receives significant funding from the licence fee to produce distinctive audio content and introducing advertising alongside this would be damaging and inappropriate,” he added.