The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 have united to issue a rare joint statement calling on the government to defend public service broadcasting (PSB) in the UK.
The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 have united to issue a rare joint statement calling on the government to defend public service broadcasting (PSB) in the UK.
The rival broadcasters said the UK risked global online platforms dominating the country’s cultural landscape.
The broadcasters issued the statement at the Royal Television Society’s Cambridge Convention this week, outlining five specific actions to safeguard and enhance public service broadcasting. It was also signed by fellow public broadcasters MG Alba, S4C, and STV.
In the statement, the organisations said that PSBs help to: unite the UK’s nations and regions in shared cultural moments; provide impartial news; and act as the cornerstone of the UK’s production sector and creative economy.
By comparison, it said that global online platforms “may be impressive businesses but they are driven by profit, not purpose” and that most of their content is not subject to the same safeguards and regulatory standards as theirs.
The statement was issued at a time when PSBs are facing huge pressures as increasing numbers of viewers turn to digital platforms. YouTube is the second most-watched service in the UK, behind the BBC but ahead of ITV.
The UK broadcasters called for the following five interventions: action to ensure their content is prominent on devices and platforms where audiences spend their time – not just smart TVs but also video sharing platforms like YouTube, and on fair commercial terms; promotion of impartial news on the platforms young people use, and deals with social media companies that promote accurate reporting and combat misinformation; tax credits for homegrown stories that nurture the UK’s talent pool and for genres that help to build understanding, support social cohesion, and create cultural common ground; a managed transition to internet-delivered television; and the removal of “unnecessary barriers” so that public service broadcasters can form strategic partnerships with each other as well as non-PSBs.
The PSBs said: “Our PSBs represent the best of the UK in a highly competitive global marketplace. Fail to act, and we risk all this being lost to future generations. Get it right, and we bolster our economy while making a priceless investment in information we can trust, moments we can share, and a cultural inheritance of which we can all be proud.”
The UK’s leading public service broadcasters recently joined forces to launch Freely, a free-to-air streaming platform using the open source HbbTV operator platform. Discover more here.
Framestore promotes Theo Jones to Creative Director of AI
VFX giant Framestore has promoted Theo Jones to the newly created role, Creative Director of AI.
Bectu calls for government intervention in Paramount–WBD merger
Film and TV industry union Bectu has called for the government to intervene in the proposed merger between Paramount Global and WBD, warning that the deal risks increasing insecurity for creative workers and further concentrating media power in the UK.
Open letter urges UK government to back campaign against on-set injuries
Senior leaders from the film, TV, and theatre industries have come together to urge the UK government to support a campaign to prevent on-set injuries.
Winning bidders revealed for UEFA men’s football in 19 territories
UC3, which manages the commercial rights for UEFA club competitions, has confirmed the preferred bidders for media rights to UEFA men’s club competitions in 19 global territories.
RTS London Convention 2026 to be chaired by Amazon
Taking place on Tuesday 29 September at Kings Place, London, the RTS London Convention 2026 will be chaired by Tara Erer, Head of Northern European Originals at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, as the business will be the event’s Principal Sponsor.
