Up next - the government’s vision for the broadcasting sector
This white paper sets out the government’s vision for the broadcasting sector, and the steps we are taking to support our system of public service broadcasting.
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The UK’s creative economy is a global success story, and our public service broadcasters are the beating heart of that success. They produce great British content loved across the UK and the world over. The government wants it to stay that way.
Radio and TV remain strong, valued media in the UK delivering significant public value. 89% of the population listens to radio every week, a figure which has remained remarkably consistent in the last decade. Total linear TV set viewing was 2 hours, 33 minutes a day in March 2022, with viewers continuing to turn to our public service broadcasters for trusted news and high quality, original programming.
The government believes this will remain the case long into the next decade. Future listening projections prepared for the recent Digital Radio and Audio Review show that radio will retain a central role in UK media for at least the next 10-15 years. And while nearly half of UK adults now consider online video services to be their main way of watching TV and film, 17.3 million homes still access digital terrestrial TV via an aerial, 8.4 million households subscribe to satellite television and 3.9 million have a cable TV subscription.
But the headwinds facing our radio and television broadcasters are intensifying. Competition is increasing, audience habits and technology are changing constantly, and global giants are making their presence felt.
The government therefore intends to act to support our system of public service broadcasting, using our new legislative freedoms to deliver a regulatory framework in the best interests of the UK. We must now deliver much needed reform to the ‘compact’, the balance of benefits and obligations conferred on our public service broadcasters, to ensure they can continue to deliver for audiences across the United Kingdom.
Last updated 29 April 2022 + show all updates
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Added Welsh language version - Nesaf - Gweledigaeth y llywodraeth ar gyfer y sector darlledu.
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First published.