Public Service Broadcasting

 Ofcom review of PSB in Britain

In 2020 Ofcom published its findings from a five year review of public service broadcasting in Britain. Read the introduction to their report - pages 3-7. You'll need your Greenford Google login to view the document.

1) Look at page 3. Why is it a critical time for public service broadcasting? 
Viewing habits are rapidly changing and there is ever increasing competition from global content providers.

2) Read page 4. How has TV viewing changed in recent years? 

Live viewing has sharply decreased as people prefer to now watch on demand at a time when they want during a time that suits them.

3) Still on page 4, what aspects of PSB do audiences value and enjoy? 
Trust worthy news and programmes that show different aspects of uk life and culture.

4) Look at pages 4-5. Find and note down the statistics in this section on how much TV audiences tend to watch and how they watch it. 
On average, people watch around three hours of TV and around half of that goes to just PSB channels while some younger audiences on average spend one hour on YouTube and Netflix.

5) Read the section on page 5 discussing the importance of PSB. Again, find the statistics and explain the value of public service broadcasting in Britain.

they provide audiences with approximately 32,000 hours of new UK content in a wide range of subjects, including news, current affairs, drama and children’s programmes. UK programmes are also vital in supporting a thriving

UK media industry. Investment by the PSB channels still represents the majority of total UK production revenues and regulation ensures that investment is spread across the nations and regions.

6) Look at the section on commercial challenges. How have revenues fallen for PSB channels?

Between 2014 and 2018, net advertising revenue for the advertising-funded PSB channels has fallen by an average rate of 3.8% per year which is equivalent to £325m. licence fee have fallen by an average of 4% each year. In 2014, there were 1,234 hours of these genres, falling to 1,148 in 2018. In both years, this programming represented 6% of total PSB investment in first-run UK content.

7) Read page 6. What services increasingly play a role in our media lives in the digital age? 

commercial broadcasters like Sky and on-demand services like Netflix, extend the choice of content available to audiences. Sky has increased spend on original UK drama and has renewed its commitment to its news service, provided on a free-to-air basis.16-34 years old are more likely to watch a BBC programme on Netflix than the BBC

iPlayer. Extended choice of and growing investment in original UK content on broadcast and on-demand services is generally positive,

Goldsmiths report on Public Service TV

Read this report from Goldsmiths University - A future for public service television: content and platforms in a digital world.

1) What does the report state has changed in the UK television market in the last 20 years?
New technology has facilitated on-demand access to television content, and created new services and platforms, while consumer behaviour has started to change rapidly, particularly among the young but also technological advances and changes in cultural and political attitudes of the audiences

2) Look at page 4. What are the principles that the report suggests need to be embedded in regulation of public service broadcasting in future?
 independence, universality, citizenship, quality and diversity.

3) What does the report say about the BBC?
The BBC is the most important part of the television ecology, but the model of universality underpinning its public service credentials is under threat. The licence fee is vulnerable in the face of changes in technology and consumption. BBC’s independence has also been compromised by the insecurity of its establishment by a royal charter and the process behind the appointments to its governing body.

4) According to the report, how should the BBC be funded in future?
The government should replace the licence fee as soon as is practically possible with a more progressive funding mechanism such as a tiered platform-neutral household fee, a supplement to Council Tax or funding via general taxation with appropriate parliamentary safeguards.  

5) What does the report say about Channel 4?

Channel 4 occupies a critical place in the public service ecology – supporting the independent production sector and airing content aimed specifically at diverse audiences. Its remit has remained flexible and it has moved with the times. But it has cut programme spending; it has largely abandoned arts programming and has been criticised for not doing enough for older children. Threatened with privatisation, in whole or in part, a proposal that would threaten its public service remit.

6) How should Channel 4 operate in future?
should not be privatised,  should significantly increase its provision for older children and young adults, 4 should continue to innovate and experiment across different platforms.

7) Look at page 10 - new kids on the block. What does the report say about new digital content providers and their link to public service broadcasting?
believe that the growing contribution to a digital media ecology made by these cultural institutions should be boosted by a specific public intervention. To increase the levels, quality and security of this provision, we propose to set up a new fund for public service content. levy on the revenues of the largest digital intermediaries and internet service providers