A large demographic of viewers do not have television access to BBC America. Rather than resort to illegal streaming methods or torrents, a live stream would enable fans to view their favorite shows as they premiere to the rest of the world.

If you want BBC America and BBC Worldwide to live stream Doctor Who and other popular shows, please sign the petition, write to BBC America and BBC Worldwide, and share this cause with your fellow Whovians.

User "animorph" of reddit posted this insightful information about the process behind live streaming:

"It's a nice thought, but far more complicated than you realise.

The BBC is funded by the licence fee - that is to say, the taxpayer (me) pays a licence fee of £145.50 a year to watch TV. The BBC exists to serve the public, and its mission is to inform, educate and entertain - this is governed by the BBC Trust to ensure that the BBC does what it should do: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/

As part of this, the BBC cannot make money commercially on the shows they produce - this would include streaming the shows for a fee for international audiences.

The only way this would be able to be offered is through BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC. However, because there is plenty of red tape due to copyrights, licencing, potential conflicts with the BBC's charter etc., this is a slow process.

The current trial is being held with the iPad in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. In which customers can pay for content on a monthly or annual basis. This may well be extended.

But due to potential conflicts with the BBC Charter and so much copyright red tape that changes from country to country, it is not a simple answer of signing a petition in time for series 7."

While it is unrealistic to expect immediate results, this petition would inform BBC America and BBC Worldwide that many viewers are interested in seeing their favorite programs streamed live online.