Ofcom Begins Second Review Of PSB In UK

Ofcom has started its second review of public service broadcasting in Britain, looking at how to maintain and strengthen the quality of PSB as the UK approaches digital switchover in 2012.

The regulator has widened the scope of the inquiry, which is due to wrap up by early 2009, to include digital public service content offered on the internet and mobile devices.

Ofcom said that the media landscape had “evolved rapidly” in the two years since it finished its first PSB review, which concluded that commercial operators would find it harder to provide public service programming in an increasingly multichannel, digital media world.

With audiences for the five terrestrial public service channels diminishing, especially among children and young adults, the pressure on the traditional funding model has increased.

Ofcom said the commercial analogue public service channels – ITV1, Channel 4 and Five – had seen net advertising revenue fall from £2.56 billion in 2002 to £2.43 billion in 2006.

In its review, the regulator is to take into account its financial review of Channel 4 (see Channel 4 To Launch Two-Stage Remit Review) and other work on news and children’s programming, as well as examining emerging digital media and traditional television.

Ofcom pointed out that the distinctions between content broadcast on traditional television and those delivered on new platforms are increasingly blurred, and that there is now potential for the new services to offer public service content.

“The scope of Ofcom’s review will therefore include non-traditional audio-visual services offered by the existing public service broadcasters on other platforms. It will also examine the prospects for other broadcasters and online producers to deliver content that meets public purposes,” said the watchdog.

At the beginning of this year, Ofcom published its discussion document on a potential new public service publisher, or PSP (see Ofcom Publishes PSP Discussion Document).

Ed Richards, Ofcom chief executive, announced that the communications regulator would publish a discussion document on a new PSP in a speech at the Oxford Media Convention (see Ofcom Set To Pave The Way For New Media Entity).

Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk