The future of public service broadcasting

Culture, Media and Sport Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 27 Mar 2020 Closed: 18 Jun 2021 Parliament page
The inquiry will look at the future of public service broadcasting (PSB) within the wider media and digital ecology, including funding, content and regulation of PSBs and how this compares with alternative subscription, streaming services and Freeview services. In addition to the BBC, there are a number of other broadcasters … Read more
22 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
2 Reports
6 Oral sessions
3 Letters
6 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
3 Nov
2021
Report published
17 Jun
2021
Report published
25 Mar
2021
Report published
25 Mar
2021
Correspondence
15 Dec
2020
Oral evidence
17 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
17 Nov
2020
Correspondence
3 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
15 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
3 Sep
2020
Correspondence
14 Jul
2020
Oral evidence
16 Jun
2020
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions
15 Dec 2020
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Dame Melanie Dawes · Ofcom Kevin Bakhurst · Ofcom Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
17 Nov 2020
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Dr Caitriona Noonan · Cardiff University Jacqueline Baker · B Inclusive Task Force John McVay OBE · Pact Professor Jeanette Steemers · King’s College London Professor Philip Schlesinger · Glasgow University
3 Nov 2020
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Chris Bird · Amazon Georgia Brown · Screen Sectors Skills Task Force Iain Bundred · BBC Richard Lewis · YouTube
15 Sep 2020
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Ali Law · Sky Anne Mensah · Netflix Benjamin King · Netflix Maria Kyriacou · ViacomCBS Mitchell Simmons · ViacomCBS Zai Bennett · Sky
14 Jul 2020
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Dame Carolyn McCall · ITV Magnus Brooke · ITV
16 Jun 2020
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Alex Mahon · Channel 4 Clare Sumner CBE · BBC James Purnell · BBC
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
2 Conclusion Acknowledged
Sixth Report - The future of publi…
Despite the long-term decline in viewing, we recognise that linear television remains crucial to certain...
Despite the long-term decline in viewing, we recognise that linear television remains crucial to certain audiences.
Government Response
The government agrees that universality is a core tenet of public service broadcasting and commits to ensuring PSB content is delivered via commonly available, familiar technologies that offer a high-quality viewing experience.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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4 Conclusion Acknowledged
Sixth Report - The future of publi…
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the role that PSB content can play in bringing the...
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the role that PSB content can play in bringing the country together creating shared national experiences and providing access to topical, UK-specific information and entertainment.
Government Response
The government wholeheartedly agrees with the committee's assessment on the vital role of public service broadcasting during the pandemic in uniting the country and providing trusted information.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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5 Conclusion Acknowledged
Sixth Report - The future of publi…
The pandemic has reinforced the critical importance of free and easy access to trusted news...
The pandemic has reinforced the critical importance of free and easy access to trusted news sources. At a time of crisis, audiences have shown that they value the PSBs. PSBs have played a role in tackling the spread of misinformation … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's observations regarding the critical importance of free and easy access to trusted news from PSBs, affirming that tackling disinformation remains a government priority.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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22 Recommendation Acknowledged
Sixth Report - The future of publi…
The findings of the Competition Commission in 2009 are now outdated, given the rate at...
The findings of the Competition Commission in 2009 are now outdated, given the rate at which the market has changed and the dominance of global streaming services, and PSBs should be allowed to collaborate so that they have a better … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees that 2009 Competition Commission findings are outdated and that public service broadcasters should be allowed to collaborate to better compete in the video on demand market, but the response is truncated without further specific commitments.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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Government Response AI assessment · 30 of 22 classified
Accepted 3
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 10
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 8
Total 22 recs + 8 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
25 Mar 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to Tim Davie, Director-General, BBC, re licence fee evasion, 25 March 2021
Parliament page
17 Nov 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP, Secretary of State for DCMS, re BBC Licence Fee settlement, 10 November 2020
Parliament page
3 Sep 2020 To committee Letter from Dame Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive, ITV, re oral evidence follow up, 23 July 2020
Parliament page