UK Media Landscape Set To Change In Five Years

A new Public Service Publisher could be on the agenda for the UK media landscape in the future, according to the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Tessa Jowell.

Speaking at the Oxford Media Convention, Jowell said that there could potentially be around £800 million available at the end of the licence fee period, which could be used to fund other public service broadcasting purposes.

“At the end of this licence fee period there will be a very substantial sum, £800 million or so, which will not be part of the BBC’s baseline, which could be available for other public service broadcasting purposes,” said Jowell.

“I think that the case for the Public Service Publisher in five or six years time is an interesting and indeed compelling one. We’ve got to be prepared to be open minded between now and the end of the licence fee period, and decide round about the time before switchover is complete to reach a conclusion then.”

The BBC’s licence fee settlement, which was announced yesterday (see BBC Licence Fee To Rise 3%), could also be used to aid Channel 4 in the digital switchover process. However, Jowell said that the funds were mainly to aid the Corporation with the digital switchover process, to be more efficient and to run a sustained programme of efficiency over the next six years.

“In return for which, it will release savings, which can then be invested in programming,” said Jowell. The secretary of state also said that the main priority is also to ensure universal access and to make sure that nobody is left behind, particularly the disabled and vulnerable.

“We need to develop a digital media vision and that’s where attention should now begin to shift following the conclusion of the BBC charter review process,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Ofcom’s chief executive, Ed Richards, revealed that the communications regulator would launch a discussion document on the future delivery of public service content for the digital age.

Channel 4: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk