The UK's biggest video-on-demand services will have to follow the same content and accessibility rules as traditional broadcasters, under new government legislation.
Major streamers with over 500,000 UK users, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and ITVX, will be brought under enhanced regulation by Ofcom.
Similar to the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, this is intended to ensure that news is reported accurately and impartially and that audiences are protected against harmful or offensive material.
Audiences will be able to complain to Ofcom if they see something concerning, and Ofcom will have powers to investigate and take action if it considers there has been a breach of the code.
A new VOD accessibility code will set minimum requirements for accessibility features. Additionally, services will need to ensure that at least 80% of their total catalogue is subtitled, 10% is audio-described, and 5% is signed.
Until now, only licensed television channels have had to comply with Ofcom's broadcasting code and accessibility requirements, such as subtitles. As a result, many of the UK's most popular streaming services were not regulated to the same standard. Some were not regulated in the UK at all.
VOD services provided by the BBC, such as BBC iPlayer, will continue to be regulated under the Ofcom Broadcasting Code via the BBC Framework Agreement, for now. However, this will later be brought under the VOD standards code.
The new regulations reflect the significant shift in how audiences choose to watch TV. Two-thirds of households subscribe to at least one of the three major streaming services – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Disney+ – with 85% of people using an on-demand service each month, compared to 67% who watch live TV. Many people, especially younger audiences, now bypass TV channels and head straight to streaming services when choosing what to watch.
Lisa Nandy, the UK’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: “By bringing the most popular video-on-demand services under enhanced regulation by Ofcom, we are strengthening protections for audiences, creating a level playing field for industry and supporting our vibrant media sector that continues to innovate and drive growth across the UK.”
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