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UK public service broadcasters challenge terrestrial TV switch-off date

According to reports, the PSBs are pushing back against plans to keep signals on air until at least 2034

UK public service broadcasters are challenging government plans to delay terrestrial TV switch-off.

According to a report in The Telegraph, the BBC and other major broadcasters are “locked in discussions” with the government over when traditional TV signals should be turned off to be completely replaced by streaming.

Broadcast TV is set to continue until at least 2034 under legislation currently in place, with campaigners led by the Broadcast 2040+ group, calling for this date to be extended amid concerns vulnerable users will be excluded.

A government report, Future of TV distribution, published in November suggested five per cent of viewers – some 1.5 million people – would be left behind by the switch-off. According to The Telegraph, Arqiva, the owner of Britain’s TV masts, has joined the campaigners. The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched a forum, headed by Media Minister Stephanie Peacock MP, to advise on the future of TV.

Elizabeth Anderson, chief executive of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said, “For the millions of people who are living with digital exclusion, terrestrial television is a vital lifeline – it’s how people stay updated with news and major events, it’s the basis of conversations with friends and family, it’s a shared experience and sense of connection.

“Given the costs to the individual of moving TV online – paying for monthly broadband, buying new equipment, and the complexities of learning how to use this – the Digital Poverty Alliance believes that saving the current hybrid system, with the choice to watch traditional or online content, is vital and crucially we know that it’s what most people in the UK want.”

However, broadcasters are reportedly resisting the government’s plans, arguing they are facing “hefty costs” to maintain the ageing infrastructure while audience numbers are declining. Facing a funding crisis, the BBC is trying to reduce its costs by £300 million per annum in the next three years, and has complained of losing 30 per cent of its funding over a decade, in real terms.

In a submission to the government last year, the broadcasters said, “The UK’s unique public service broadcasting [PSB] ecosystem – which creates a virtuous circle of demand from UK audiences for investment in UK content – depends on affordable, universal distribution. There is a risk that this could be seriously undermined if PSBs are forced to maintain legacy networks longer than they are viable or if their content is available only via ‘gatekept’ global platforms.”

A BBC spokesperson told The Telegraph, “While more and more people are watching TV via the internet, which provides more choice, higher quality and better services, including for vulnerable audiences, it isn’t the case that everyone is – and our priority is ensuring no one is left behind as digital changes take place.

“We’re part of the government’s working group on this issue – with organisations from the TV sector, infrastructure and audience groups – to ensure there is no ‘switch over’ until the right conditions are in place and it’s absolutely right to do so.”

A DCMS spokesperson commented, “We are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind as TV viewing increasingly moves to online platforms. That is why the government is currently working with the TV industry and other key players in the sector on a long-term sustainable approach to TV distribution in the UK for years to come. This will include a decision on whether to further extend the current commitment to keep Freeview on air until at least 2034.”