<\/p>\n
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport swiftly shot this down, ruling that remote controls were outside the scope of the Media Bill.<\/p>\n
When that failed, attention turned to device home screens. The Draft Media Bill sparked fierce debate about whether PSBs deserved \u201csignificant\u201d or merely \u201cappropriate\u201d prominence on smart TVs and streaming platforms.<\/p>\n
ITV\u2019s Magnus Brooke warned of \u201cbitter first-hand experience\u201d trying to get ITVX onto older devices<\/a>, while Sky\u2019s Alistair Law worried that too much prominence could override what viewers actually wanted to watch.<\/p>\n The Media Act eventually passed, ensuring PSB apps get prominence on smart TV home screens. But by July this year, Ofcom had identified the next battleground: YouTube itself.<\/p>\n In a major report, Ofcom declared traditional public service TV an \u201cendangered species\u201d<\/a> and called for YouTube to prioritise BBC, ITV and Channel 4 content in UK viewers\u2019 feeds \u2013 regardless of personal viewing habits.<\/p>\n As we reported, this could mean more BBC News clips or CBBC children\u2019s shows appearing in your recommendations, even if you\u2019d never shown interest before.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the government\u2019s internet TV agenda has been accelerating. Freely \u2013 the streaming replacement for Freeview that launched in April 2024 \u2013 has already reached over half a million weekly users, with two-thirds abandoning their aerial connections entirely.<\/p>\n Research suggests Freely could become the UK\u2019s dominant TV platform<\/a> by 2030, serving 7 million homes as traditional broadcasting infrastructure gets phased out.<\/p>\n What the Broadcasters Want <\/p>\n The joint letter, published by the Public Service Broadcasters this week, sets out five specific demands that could reshape your viewing experience:<\/p>\n Make British content impossible to miss online. Building on both the smart TV prominence rules and Ofcom\u2019s YouTube recommendations, they want PSB content prioritised \u201cnot just smart TVs but also video sharing platforms like YouTube, and on fair commercial terms.\u201d And as Nandy put it this week: \u201cIf we need to regulate, we will.\u201d<\/p>\n Prioritise trusted news on social platforms. They want \u201cimpartial news\u201d from PSBs to be given prominence on platforms where young people get their information, directly addressing the misinformation concerns that drove Ofcom\u2019s original YouTube recommendations.<\/p>\n Secure long-term funding and support. This includes \u201csustainable public funding for the BBC\u201d and tax credits for homegrown content that \u201cnurture the UK\u2019s deep talent pool.\u201d<\/p>\n Plan the switch to internet television. The government should set a firm date \u201cvery soon\u201d for moving all TV to internet delivery in the 2030s. This builds on the BBC\u2019s Freely initiative<\/a> and research showing that traditional broadcasting infrastructure is becoming unsustainable.<\/p>\n Remove barriers to partnerships. Let PSBs form strategic alliances with each other and commercial partners to compete globally.<\/p>\n Government Throws Its Weight Behind PSBs <\/p>\n Lisa Nandy\u2019s speech was remarkable for its full-throated defence of public service broadcasting at a time when the BBC faces record licence fee evasion<\/a> and declining traditional viewership.<\/p>\n \u201cThe BBC is a light on the hill for people here and across the world and the best defence against the tide of toxic populism,\u201d she declared, directly contradicting those calling for the broadcaster to be scaled back or privatised.<\/p>\n More significantly, she backed the PSBs\u2019 key demand about YouTube prominence, picking up where Ofcom left off in July.<\/p>\n \u201cWe support OFCOM\u2019s recommendation that Public Service Media content should be prominent on major video sharing platforms. If we need to regulate we will.\u201d<\/p>\n The threat is clear \u2013 YouTube can cooperate voluntarily or face being legally forced to change its algorithm for UK users, just as other countries like France and Canada have already done with their streaming services.<\/p>\n What This Means for Your Viewing <\/p>\n If these demands become reality, your TV and online viewing experience could change dramatically:<\/p>\n Get ready for BBC News popping up in your YouTube feed \u2013 whether you asked for it or not. Instead of the platform\u2019s algorithm deciding what you see based purely on engagement, it could be legally required to surface more BBC content, Channel 4 documentaries, or CBBC children\u2019s shows in your recommendations.\u00a0<\/p>\n Your trusty Freeview box? It might be gone by the 2030s. The PSBs are demanding a firm switchover date to internet delivery, building on Freely\u2019s rapid growth. Research already shows two-thirds of Freely users have ditched their aerials<\/a> entirely, choosing streaming over traditional broadcasting. Your current setup could go the same way as analogue TV did in 2012.<\/p>\n News standards could be forced everywhere. Nandy wants broadcast-quality standards applied across \u201cthe whole of broadcast media\u201d as traditional boundaries blur. Expect clearer distinctions between news and opinion content, potentially with legal backing.<\/p>\n Your smart TV will definitely prioritise British content. The Media Act already ensures this, but expect the prominence rules to become more aggressive as PSBs push their advantage.<\/p>\n The BBC\u2019s Funding Future <\/p>\n Perhaps most significantly for licence fee payers, Nandy\u2019s speech offered the strongest government commitment to BBC funding in years.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough the Charter Review we are determined to ensure the BBC remains relevant to audiences,\u201d she said. \u201cWe will look at how to fund it sustainably so it can deliver for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n This comes despite the funding crisis we covered in July, with licence fee evasion hitting 12.52% \u2013 representing around \u00a3550 million in lost income.<\/p>\n The BBC collected \u00a33.8 billion in 2024\/25, but only because the licence fee price increased to \u00a3174.50, not because more people were paying.<\/p>\n The number of TV licences in force actually fell to 23.8 million, down 300,000 from the previous year, while \u201cNo Licence Needed\u201d declarations climbed to 3.6 million households.<\/p>\n Interestingly, BBC Director-General Tim Davie revealed that the BBC\u2019s \u201cOur BBC, Our Future\u201d consultation received over 870,000 responses \u2013 nearly a quarter of the number of households that have declared they don\u2019t need a licence.<\/p>\n The government will launch its Green Paper on BBC funding \u201clater this year,\u201d formally starting the Charter Review process that will determine the broadcaster\u2019s future beyond 2027.<\/p>\n Why Now? <\/p>\n The unprecedented unity among broadcasters reflects how the digital transition has accelerated beyond their individual ability to respond.<\/p>\n Remember when your TV guide started with BBC One, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5? Those \u201cmust-carry\u201d rules ensured PSBs couldn\u2019t be buried beneath other channels.<\/p>\n But streaming devices changed everything \u2013 suddenly Netflix and Amazon\u2019s Prime Video were taking centre stage on your Fire TV home screen, while traditional Electronic Programme Guides became almost obsolete.<\/p>\n The numbers tell the story. Viewers now spend less than half their time watching traditional TV channels, while YouTube dominates among younger audiences \u2013 with 43% of children aged 4-17 watching it weekly, up from 36% in 2022.<\/p>\n Yet traditional broadcasters still make up 41% of all viewing time according to new research, compared to YouTube\u2019s 14% and Netflix\u2019s 8%. The problem isn\u2019t that people have stopped watching BBC and ITV \u2013 it\u2019s that they\u2019re increasingly watching through platforms the PSBs don\u2019t control.<\/p>\n The PSBs argue they could add \u00a310 billion to the UK economy by 2035, potentially delivering \u201cmore than a quarter\u201d of the government\u2019s investment target for the creative sector. But this requires the \u201cright decisions to be taken now.\u201d<\/p>\n The Tech Giants\u2019 Dilemma <\/p>\n The demands put global platforms in an uncomfortable position. YouTube\u2019s algorithm is famously secretive and designed to maximise engagement and advertising revenue \u2013 not promote British culture or public service values.<\/p>\n When we asked Amazon\u2019s Vice President for Entertainment Devices about PSB prominence back in 2022, Daniel Rausch insisted Fire TV<\/a> already showed BBC and ITV \u201cvery prominently\u201d in their interface. But that was before the current regulatory push gained momentum.<\/p>\n Other countries are already forcing the issue. Meta famously pulled news content from Facebook in Canada rather than comply with requirements to feature local journalism, while Australia has successfully mandated platform prominence for news content.<\/p>\n What Happens Next <\/p>\n The PSBs have essentially given the government and tech platforms a warning: \u201cAction is now urgent\u2026 The window of opportunity is rapidly closing.\u201d<\/p>\n With the Culture Secretary backing their demands and threatening regulation, the coming months will be important.<\/p>\n The BBC\u2019s Green Paper launch will formally begin the Charter Review process, while pressure mounts on YouTube to voluntarily comply with prominence demands.<\/p>\nPhoto: Deposit Photos \/ Andrew Lozovyi <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Fire TV\u2019s Live Guide <\/p>\n