Public service broadcasting: blog tasks

 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? 

Public service broadcasting (PSB) is at a crucial juncture. Audience viewing habits continue to change rapidly and competition from global content providers is ever-increasing.

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

There have been significant changes in the way in which people watch television. Live broadcast viewing has declined, as audiences increasingly choose to view content at a time that suits them on global online and on demand content services. These trends are affecting all broadcasters, including the PSB channels.

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 programmes that show different aspects of UK life and culture. The PSB channels have generally fulfilled the statutory PSB remit but maintaining the current level and range of programmes is challenging. People are watching the PSB channels less, as they are no longer the only or necessarily audiences’ preferred source of content that ‘informs, educates and entertains’.

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. 

The growth of well-funded on-demand services and the rapid take-up of connected devices have increased our choice in what we watch, as well as how and when we watch it.However, television and radio remain an important part of our media lives. We still watch, on average, over three hours of live broadcast TV each day and over half of that is to the PSB channels. Television also remains the best way to reach large audiences; and, broadcast news is still widely considered to be accurate and trustworthy.

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.

Our research shows that the purposes and objectives of PSB have remained important to audiences. Viewers and listeners value programmes that inform our understanding of the world and that show different aspects of UK life and culture. The PSB channels are still distinctive in the amount and range of first-run, original UK programmes1 they broadcast. Collectively, 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. This far outweighs what is available on other commercial broadcast channels and the global streaming services.

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 (compound annual growth rate or CAGR2) equivalent to approximately £325m. In the same period, the BBC’s revenues from the licence fee have fallen by an average of 4% each year. Significant growth in third-party funding, such as co-production, and increases in portfolio channel and online advertising has offset some of this decline. However, third-party funding is typically available for a limited range of genres, such as high-end drama, and continued growth in portfolio channels advertising cannot be guaranteed. Provision and investment in arts, religion, children’s and formal education programmes on the PSB channels continued to be

relatively low over the review period. 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? 

A range of other media services, including commercial broadcasters like Sky and on-demand services like Netflix, extend the choice of content available to audiences. Some have increased their investment in original UK content and so made a valuable contribution to a thriving UK media industry. Notably, Sky has increased spend on original UK drama and has renewed its commitment to its news service, provided on a free-to-air basis. 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 3.The extended choice of and growing investment in original UK content on broadcast and on-demand services is generally positive, in terms of audience choice and the UK production industry. However, there are significant differences in the level of investment made by different media services, how widely available they are to all audiences, as well as the breadth and quality of content available.

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

Final questions - YOUR opinion on public service broadcasting

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

Yes, to be honest I feel like the BBC should retain from its position as the UK's public service broadcaster as they have already established a place in television and removing the public service broadcast won't cause that much of a big problem. 

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

I think there is as they already have a media platform (BBC iPlayer) and since the BBC was made during the 1922's they have been around for more than a century and in order for them to move on and adapt with the new modern day technology and reach out to more consumers they need to become more advanced as I feel like if the BBC was to not longer be around then television still won't be the same even though there are more channels and way more different kind of entertainment now in the 21st century. 

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

Yes I feel like they should scrap and abolish the BBC funding model licence fee as already the public have to pay £159 a year which is already more than too much and that the public shouldn't have to pay to watch TV shows. I feel like the government should take a vote upon this to decide on what to do next and decide if they want to get rid of the BBC funding model or not.