public service broadcasting

 Ofcom review of PSB in Britain

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? 

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? 

Live broadcast viewing has declined

Audiences audiences increasingly choose to view content at a time that suits them

on global online and on-demand content services.

3) Still on page 4, what aspects of PSB do audiences value and enjoy? 

Purposes and objectives including trustworthy inofrmation

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. 

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.

5)page 5 discussing the importance of PSB. Again, find the statistics and explain the value of public service broadcasting in Britain.

Investment by the PSB channels still represents the majority of total UK

production revenues and regulation ensures that investment is spread across the nations and

regions.

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

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? 

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.

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?

regulation

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?

retransimission fees should be payed

ofcom should suplement its occasional reviews

Ofcom should continue to monitor the independent production sector

3) What does the report say about the BBC?

The most important part of the televison ecology

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

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 

6) .How should Channel 4 operate in future?

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?

 from Sky and other commercial broadcasters, on subscription video-on-demand services such as Netflix and Amazon, and through the new Local TV services. Meanwhile, a broad range of cultural institutions – including museums, performing arts institutions and community organisations – are now producing video content of public service character. 


Final questions - YOUR opinion on public service broadcasting

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

Yes, because it is well funded and trusted by the uk to get valid information and news.

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

yes, to give information

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

No, it is just find and affordable as it is. However to ensure people aren't lying it would be better to speciofy payments to different uses for example for entertainment and for news.