Public service broadcasting

OFCOM Report

1)     The report suggests that TV viewing is changing as people are increasingly finding a variety of ways of viewing content other than just TV, via laptops/tablets etc.

2)   The report states that “viewers aged 65+ watched an average of 5h and 44 mins in 2016, just three minutes less than 2012; in contrast, 16-24 year olds watched an average of 1h and 54 mins in 2016, 43 minutes less than in 2012.” This suggests that older people are watching more television than younger people, it’s becoming a trend.

3)  The report suggests that viewers are satisfied with public service broadcasting, because they have used stats, in 2016, 78% of viewers were satisfied. Additionally, PSB channels are “at the heart of the UK’s television viewing experience” according to the report and “each week 85% of the UK who have a TV in their household watch PSB channels”. This reinforces how satisfied viewers are.

4)      In the UK, PSB channels spent £2.6bn on content in 2016.


Goldsmiths Report 

1) PSB channels have had a reduced market share in recent years. This is purely based on the fact that there are more privately owned broadcasters such as Sky. They have become more dominant and there are also demand channels/other broadcasters/services/platforms.

2) The report suggests that...

1.       PSB channel content should be guaranteed showed on things like demand/streaming- new methods.

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 add reviews of PSB with a regular qualitative audit of public service content in order to ensure that audiences are being served with high quality and diverse programming. It should have detailed data.

4.       Ofcom should continue to monitor the independent production sector and take action where necessary.

3) The report addresses the importance of the BBC as a PSB. It mentions how the license fee is in jeopardy and under threat due to new technology. They think that the BBC should develop like the world and have advanced and a range of content for the evolving world. The BBC should continue to provide mixed content for all types of audiences and compete with other broadcasters with their high-quality. However, the BBC should further implicate a creative ambition, relationships with audiences in developed nations and embrace new types of collaborative partnerships.

4) According to the report, in the future, the BBC should be funded via a tiered platform-neutral household fee, a supplement to Council Tax or funding via general taxation with appropriate parliamentary safeguards.

5) The report states how Channel 4 occupies a critical position in the public service ecology. It supports the independent production sector and airing content aimed specifically at diverse audiences. They evolved with time.  However, Channel 4 has abandoned arts programming and has been criticised for not doing enough for older children. Recently, Channel 4 has been threatened with privatisation- this is a proposal that would threaten the public service remit. The report believes that Channel 4 should continue to innovate and experiment across platforms and it should aim to arrest the fall in the number of independent suppliers that it works with.

6) According to the report, in the future, Channel 4 should not be privatised and should increase its provision for older children and young adults and restore some of the arts programming that has been in decline in recent years. They should also continue to innovate and experiment.

7) The report says that new digital content providers have characteristic similar to public service broadcasters and appear outside of the service system. Also, cultural institutions are producing video content of public service character and these should be boosted by a specific public intervention.

My opinion on PSB.

1) In my opinion I believe that the BBC should retain its position as the UK's public service broadcaster. This is because it has been successfully operating for the past years and shows worthy/reliable content. Many people in the UK rely on the BBC for many things, such as news, weather, traffic etc. They also provide us with content which is educating. They successfully reflect their mission statement- "inform, educate and entertain."

2) I think that there could be a place for the BBC in the 21st century, because what they show is worthy and informing. However, they just need to modernise their content and evolve with the time by showing viewers content that they would be interested in other than showing old fashioned/traditional programmes, but still keep their value of informing, educating and entertaining.

3) I think that the license fee should change, this is because it's unfair to those who cannot afford it and to those who don't watch BBC content. Instead of making everyone pay, they should have options about which content they want to watch and pay accordingly. This way, less people would oppose to the BBC license fee and the BBC still get money to produce content.