The UK government will begin preparing for a managed withdrawal of the country’s digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcast infrastructure, planning to either wind DTT services down by the end of 2034, or set a time-limited extension lasting until 2044 at the longest, according to a new government green paper.
A conflict of PSM obligations
The green paper, Watch this space: a new strategic direction for UK media, sets out the government’s strategy for addressing the challenges created by the shift of audience attention away from linear TV channels and towards less-regulated online platforms. One of the big questions facing the sector is what the future of TV distribution will look like, as more and more TV content gets consumed through an internet connection.
There are significant benefits to shutting down DTT services and moving people on to internet-delivered TV (IPTV). DTT infrastructure is costly to maintain — the green paper says it’s becoming economically unsustainable for broadcasters — while IPTV opens up more opportunities for broadcasters around personalisation and addressable advertising. With the UK’s public service media (PSM) companies’ finances under strain, any change which cuts costs and opens up new revenue opportunities would be welcomed.
But forcing audiences onto IPTV via the closure of DTT services risks cutting off groups who are unable or unwilling to make the transition. A small proportion of UK households remain unconnected to the internet, meaning they’d risk being cut off from PSM TV content if DTT was shut down. Older audiences in particular might struggle with the transition, such as the requirement to register for internet-delivered streaming services. Some users, meanwhile, might dislike the requirement to provide personal data, including an email address, in order to be able to watch TV channels.
The challenge is that PSM broadcasters are required to serve the whole UK population, but they’re also required to ensure they’re operating sustainably.
A stakeholder forum has been debating these issues over the past few years, weighing up the pros and cons. Ultimately, the UK government seems convinced that the benefits of transitioning away from DTT outweigh the costs — though managing this transition and supporting people who might struggle with the switch will be key. The green paper says the government will develop an industry support programme to help ensure parts of the UK population aren’t left behind.
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