Ofcom has published its conclusions on the impact of BritBox on the BBC’s public service mandate.
The regulator assessed whether the new streaming venture represented a material change to the BBC’s commercial activities, concluding that:
- There is not a significant risk that the BBC’s involvement in BritBox may, as a result of the relationship with the BBC’s Public Service activities, distort the market or create an unfair competitive advantage
- The BBC’s involvement in BritBox does not, therefore, give rise to a material change to its commercial activities
The assessment said: “Ofcom already has measures in place to regulate the boundary between the BBC’s public service and commercial activities, which will address most concerns raised during our consultation.
“In addition, we will closely monitor the BBC’s plans and involvement with the new venture, particularly changes to the BBC’s programme release policy and any cross-promotion from the BBC. We will step in if we have any concerns as the service develops.”
