YouTube should give videos made by channels like the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 more promotion to help tackle a “serious threat” to the UK’s public service broadcasting, according to media regulator Ofcom.
Children spend much more time watching YouTube than all of the public service broadcasters combined, but “the future of public service media is at risk” if young viewers don’t start watching their output, Ofcom warned.
The watchdog suggested broadcasters should “work urgently with YouTube” to make sure their content is “prominent and easy to find” – and there’s “a strong case” for the government to consider a law to make that happen.
Public service broadcasters also need to work much harder to create content that audiences want to watch on such platforms, Ofcom’s report said.
The BBC, ITV, STV, Channel 4, S4C and Channel 5 are all classed as public service broadcasters (PSBs).
“If children do not turn to PSB content as they get older, the future of PSM (public service media) is at risk,” said Ofcom’s report into the future of public service broadcasting.
YouTube should particularly offer more news and children’s programming from those traditional TV channels to its users, Ofcom suggested.
Only about 20% of material viewed on YouTube in the UK is actually made in the UK, the regulator found.
“Public service media has a long and proud tradition in the UK. It delivers duly impartial and trusted news and original programmes which reflect British culture and bring the country together,” a statement said.
“But the system is now under serious threat, with audience choice wider than it’s ever been, broadcasters experiencing fundamental financial challenges and structural change in the advertising market.
“And in this environment, public service broadcasters are finding it much harder to fund the production and distribution of high-quality UK content to all audiences.”
Ofcom has published a six-point plan, which also includes asking the government to consider additional funding for some genres such as news, local news and children’s content.
Sarah Rose, president of Channel 5, said in a statement: “We are pleased that Ofcom’s review highlighted the challenges producing specialist children’s content and called for commercially viable funding models among its recommendations.”
It also announced a review of its regulation of broadcast TV and radio, because much of the current framework was designed for traditional TV.
Ofcom also asked for urgent clarity on whether digital terrestrial TV – which is transmitted using masts and ariels, and which currently supports Freeview – will be phased out after 2034.
A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: “We welcome Ofcom’s Public Service Media Review and we will now consider its recommendations.”
YouTube has been approached for comment.
Jonathan Allan, interim chief executive of Channel 4, said in a statement: “Channel 4 wholeheartedly supports Ofcom’s recognition that bold, forward-looking interventions are urgently required.”
An ITV spokesperson said: “Most immediately, we share Ofcom’s concern to ensure that the future of TV distribution is decided rapidly as audiences consume TV content more and more online.”
BBC News used AI to help write the summary at the top of this article. It was edited by BBC journalists. Find out more.