Public service broadcasting

Ofcom review of PSB in Britain

1) Look at page 3. Why is it a critical time for public service broadcasting? 

giving the challenges facing the uk broadcasting, we are examining how the postive outcomes of PSB might be assured for future audiences, within the current legislative framework as well as how PSB could be reimagined for the next decade and beyond 

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

-live broadcast viewing has declined as audiences increasingly choose to view content at a time that suits them on global online and demand on content services 

-audience continue to highly value the purposes and objects of psb 

-the broadcaster responsible for the PSB channels are responding to these changes, innovating and offering online and on-demand services to try meet audience expectations

-multichannel commercial broadcasters sky, especially and some subscription video on demand services have increased investment in the original UK content, although this is typically focused in a comparatively narrow range of genres.

3) Still on page 4, what aspects of PSB do audiences value and enjoy? 
audiences continue to highly value, the purposes and objectives of PSB including trustworthy news and programs 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. 

-PSB provide audiences with approximately 32,000 hours of news uk content in a wide range of subjects,including news, current affairs, drama and children’s programmes

-between 2014 and 2018, net advertising revenue for the advertising-funded PSB channels has fallen by an average rate of 3.8% per year (compound annual growth or CAGR^2) equivalent to approximately £325m.

- In the same period, The BBCs revenues from the licence fee have fallen by an average of 4% each year. 

-In 2014, there was 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 

-During our 5year review period, viewers request for programmes from these services increased by 65% to 6.3 billon but the strongest drivers for online viewing are SVoD and YouTube 

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.

-During our 5year review period, viewers request for programmes from these services increased by 65% to 6.3 billon but the strongest drivers for online viewing are SVoD and YouTube 

due to the global pandemic many people were stuck at home for month which meant there was an increase in demand as people needed the tv/online media to keep themselves entertained during this pandemic. this lead to the 65% increase

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

Audiences still have generally positive views on the PSB channels but viewing continues to decline. This decline is particularly pronounced amongst younger viewers. Use of the broadcasters’ on-demand services, like the BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub, has significantly increased but not fully substituted for the loss in live broadcast viewing.

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

 SVoD services have been particularly effective in engaging younger audiences, and our research suggests audiences aged 16-34 years old are more likely to watch a BBC programme  on Netflix than the BBC iPlayer.3The current PSB system is based on television services, but radio and audio also help to ‘inform, educate and entertain’. A range of national, local and community radio services continue to contribute to the delivery of the PSB objectives, by producing news, current affairs and programmes that appeal to different communities across the UK.

Goldsmiths report on Public Service TV

1) What does the report state has changed in the UK television market in the last 20 years?

Yet the television sector has undergone huge changes over the past generation. The proliferation of channels has reduced the market share of the public service broadcasters – the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – although they have largely retained their prominence and developed portfolio services. Sky has emerged as a major force, contributing to the success of pay television.

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?

1. In return for public service broadcasters meeting the obligations of their licences, their content should be guaranteed prominence on electronic programme guides, smart TVs and on the interfaces of on-demand players as they emerge
2. Retransmission fees should be paid by pay-TV platforms to public service television operators to address the current undervaluation of public service content by these distributors. 
3. Ofcom should supplement its occasional reviews of public service broadcasting with a regular qualitative audit of public service content in order to ensure that audiences are being served with high-quality and diverse programming. This should include detailed data on the representation and employment of minority groups and a comprehensive account of the changing consumption patterns of younger audiences. 
4. Ofcom should continue to monitor the independent production sector and take action, where necessary, if consolidation continues to increase and if diversity of supply is affected.

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 BBC has been contracting in real terms and it is hard to sustain the case that it is damaging competitors.

4) According to the report, how should the BBC be funded in future?

5. 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.

6. The government should hand over decision-making concerning the funding of the BBC to an independent advisory body that works on fixed settlement periods.

7. The BBC should be reconstituted as a statutory body, thus abolishing its royal charter or – at the very minimum – providing statutory underpinning to a continuing royal charter. 

8. Appointments to the BBC’s new unitary board should be entirely independent from government.

9. If Ofcom is handed the responsibility of regulating the BBC, it must be given the resources and the structures to regulate the BBC independently of both government and its commercial rivals.

5) What does the report say about Channel 4?

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.

6) How should Channel 4 operate in future?

10. Channel 4 should not be privatised – neither in full or in part – and we believe that the government should clarify its view on Channel 4’s future as soon as possible. 

11. Channel 4 should significantly increase its provision for older children and young adults and restore some of the arts programming that has been in decline in recent years.

12. Channel 4 should continue to innovate and experiment across different platforms and it should aim to arrest the fall in the number of independent suppliers that it works with.

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?

To increase the levels, quality and security of this provision, we propose to set up a new fund for public service content. This would consist of a series of digital innovation grants that would be open to cultural institutions and small organisations that are not already engaged in commercial operations.

Final questions - YOUR opinion on public service broadcasting

1) Should the BBC retain its position as the UK’s public service broadcaster?

I believe that they should retain their position as they provide information like the news around the world to the viewers. They also produce shows that the audience clearly love as they are the top public service broadcaster shows like EastEnders and strictly come dancing. I known across the world, and have become apart of the British culture. I believe that they have earned the title of the biggest UK public service broadcaster as they produce good content therefore they attract the most viewers. However, I do believe they should reduce the price of the license fee and they could get their funding from the government. However, they choose to take the money from the viewers instead.

2) Is there a role for the BBC in the 21st century digital world?

I believe there is as they do have streaming services which means that people can rewatch the shows that they have missed if they were busy and also on BBC iPlayer they have a huge range of shows that maybe have been taken off of services like Netflix or do you have to pay for on Amazon Prime, meaning that if people have a TV licence they can really watch shows that they would have to pay subscriptions for. this attracts customers for them and potentially save the customers money as they are only paying for the license however about getting more instead of paying for the Netflix as well. Again, they also produce news for the audience, and it is quite reliable. Personally, anything I see on the BBC News I am way more likely to believe over other places.

3) Should the BBC funding model (licence fee) change? How?

I believe that there should take the fee away or reduce the fee as I believe that they can get funding from the government to make a large amount of money. However, the license fee is quite a lot for certain people are paying over £100 a year for TV is something that maybe viewers would not feel comfortable doing, especially with inflation and the cost of living crisis there is a less likely amount of people that would pay for a license fee. Furthermore, uni students would also be not as likely to pay for this license as they are dealing with paying for the accommodation and everything else. This means overall because of the higher price less people are likely to watch pay for the TV licence. Some people may feel like instead of spending that money on a TV licence. They would rather pay for Netflix subscription. so everywhere I do feel like they should reduce the price or they should take the price away and get government funding instead.