Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, this morning called for “urgent action” to protect public service media (PSM), as public service broadcasters (PSB) fight against global tech giants for audience attention. Ofcom’s response includes recommendations to the UK Government to ensure PSBs are fairly compensated, calls to broadcasters to evolve their content and distribution strategies, and proposals to reform media regulation that was “designed for a linear world.”
The watchdog has published an assessment of the role of PSM in a rapidly transforming media landscape. The report, ‘Transmission Critical: The future of Public Service Media‘, argues that “an important part of UK culture is under threat,” highlighting the PSB mandate to deliver trusted news in an era of social media, algorithmically surfaced content and generative AI. “Without PSBs there would be significantly less UK content and there is a risk that society becomes ever more fragmented and polarised,” says the report.
The report also addresses the role of algorithms in determining the news that audiences consume, with around half of UK adults now accessing news on social media services. Ofcom’s research found that users who consume news on social media are less likely to correctly identify important factual information, have less trust in institutions, and are more polarised in their views. “There is also a greater chance of encountering misinformation and disinformation,” says the report. “It is not surprising that people have significantly less trust in news on social media than broadcast news services which are required to provide duly accurate and impartial news.”
“Fighting to be seen”
At the same time, viewing on broadcast channels continues to decline (despite the growth of their BVOD services), as audiences fragment across SVOD services and YouTube. And while the UK broadcasters have seen success in distributing their content on YouTube, Ofcom notes that “PSB content only forms a small proportion of what UK audiences watch on YouTube and they are competing with every other content creator in the world.”
PSM content is therefore “fighting to be seen and heard”, according to the report, not least because platforms such as YouTube determine what content is promoted to users. “This makes it harder for audiences to find PSB content, which undermines its universality, and may mean they are exposed to fewer genres or viewpoints,” says Ofcom. And this trend is particularly pronounced among children, who spend significantly more time watching YouTube than all of the PSB services combined. “If children do not turn to PSB content as they get older, the future of PSM is at risk,” warns the report.
“Time is running out”
To address these challenges, Ofcom lays out a series of options to support the future provision of PSM. The watchdog notes that the incoming Media Act will help discoverability of PSB content by making their services prominent on CTV, but that this regulation is “unlikely to be enough on its own to secure the future provision of PSM content.”
And while there is “no silver bullet” to solve these sizeable challenges, Ofcom recommends that action focuses on six key outcomes, and breaks down the work required on the part of PSBs, social media and video sharing services, Government and Ofcom to meet those aims.
1. Prominence and discoverability for PSM content:
- PSBs need to keep adapting to audience preferences by testing new ways of distributing and creating content for diverse audience groups.
- PSBs and YouTube must work together to ensure that PSB content is prominent on YouTube, and on fair commercial terms.
- The Government should consider whether this needs to be underpinned by legislation.
2. Stable and adequate funding to sustain a broad range of PSM content:
- The Government should consider measures to support funding for PSM content, such as levies and changes to tax credits to fund specific PSM genres – especially those that are socially valuable but less commercially viable, such as news, local news and children’s programming.
- Content creators need to earn a fair return for their work on third-party platforms, including when used to train GenAI services.
- Ofcom says its regulation will continue to support the provision of content that reflects the diversity of the UK, particularly in the nations and regions.
3. Urgent clarity on how TV will be distributed in the future:
- Delivering content over Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) is “quickly moving from being one of the PSBs’ most valuable benefits to a significant cost” as audiences move online. These resources could otherwise be used to create PSM content and experiment with distribution strategies, according to the regulator.
- Last year Ofcom published a review of the options for the future of DTT, including implications for spectrum use and digital infrastructure. Ofcom argues that a Government decision any later than early 2026 risks undermining the investment and innovation needed to put universal TV distribution on a sustainable footing inclusive of all audiences.
4. More ambitious partnerships amongst the PSBs:
- Regulators, including Ofcom, need to assess any mergers or partnerships in the context of an up-to-date assessment of market conditions.
- The Government has asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to assess how sector changes could affect the approval of strategic partnerships, or possible consolidation between broadcasters.
5. Investment in media literacy:
- The PSBs need to invest and contribute to media literacy in the UK, while the BBC should support media literacy through its children’s education initiatives.
- Alongside broadcasters, online platforms including social media companies and YouTube, should enable media literacy by design.
- Ofcom says the Government should ensure that the modern education system gives children and adults the skills they need for the future.
6. Streamlined regulation that strips away “outdated unnecessary restrictions”:
- Ofcom argues that the majority of the current legislative and regulatory framework was designed for a linear world and needs to evolve.
- The regulator will review its regulation of broadcast TV and radio, and consider further reform to ensure regulation supports all audiences benefitting from PSM content in the future. “This may involve legislative change as well as changes to our regulation.”
The watchdog said it will publish a comprehensive call for evidence this year on the work it intends to carry out. “If no action is taken, the very existence of the PSBs – who are the main providers of PSM – will be threatened,” said Ofcom. “Time is running out to save this pillar of UK culture and way of life.”
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