BBC RESISTS EFFORTS TO DELAY TERRESTRIAL TV SWITCH-OFF
The BBC and rival broadcasters are resisting efforts to delay the switch-off of terrestrial TV despite concerns the shift to streaming could leave older viewers behind.
The corporation and its fellow public service broadcasters ITV and Channel 4 are locked in discussions with the Government about when traditional TV signals will be fully replaced by internet streaming.
Under current legislation, broadcast TV is slated to continue until at least 2034. However, some campaigners are calling for this date to be pushed back to 2040 or beyond to ensure that older and more vulnerable audiences are not left disconnected.
The campaigners are joined by Arqiva, the company that owns Britain’s TV masts and has a commercial interest in extending their life.
The major broadcasters are pushing back against these efforts, arguing that they face hefty costs to keep ageing, energy-intensive signals running as audience numbers decline.
It comes amid a looming funding crisis at the BBC, which has complained of losing 30pc of its funding in real terms over a decade and is scrambling to save money through cutting costs.
The corporation is attempting to save £300m a year by 2028, and announced 130 job losses in October.
Meanwhile, the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 have been investing heavily in their streaming platforms as they look to win over younger viewers online.
A source at one broadcaster said costs had effectively doubled as the company was spreading one programming budget across the two distribution methods of terrestrial and streaming. They added that bosses were “increasingly anxious” about the expense.
In a submission to the Government last year, the broadcasters wrote: “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.”
Discussions are now under way in Whitehall over how to manage the transition to a streaming-only era as a growing number of viewers watch TV over the internet.
The Government has created a new forum chaired by Stephanie Peacock, the media minister, to consult on how the switch-off can be carried out without leaving any viewers behind.
A report by Exeter University found that while 95pc of UK homes will use TV services delivered over the internet by 2040, 5pc will still rely on terrestrial TV. The report found that these people were more likely to be female, older and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
A separate report by EY found that the terrestrial switch-off could force more than 4m vulnerable households to spend an extra £218 a year on upgraded broadband services and smart TVs.
Elizabeth Anderson, the 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.”
Calls for an extension are being spearheaded by Broadcast 2040+, a campaign group backed by charities such as Age UK and Silver Voices as well as Arqiva, the infrastructure giant that owns masts for terrestrial TV and radio broadcasting across the UK.
However, critics have accused Arqiva, whose major shareholders are infrastructure group Digital 9 and private equity firm Macquarie, of acting out of self-interest. The company’s broadcasting deals with Channel 4 and ITV run until 2034, while its contract with the BBC expires in 2031.
A spokesman for Arqiva said: “A free-to-air, highly reliable network, reaching over 98pc of the population with public service broadcasts, terrestrial TV is a lifeline for millions of people and a cornerstone of our national resilience.
“Arqiva is proud to work with groups representing the many millions of people who rely on it. This includes voices speaking up for older people, those facing digital poverty, and people in remote rural areas – all of whom would be hit hard if terrestrial TV were switched off.
“A hybrid future for UK broadcasting, with terrestrial TV serving alongside streaming services, will continue to give viewers the best of both worlds.”
A BBC spokesman said: “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 spokesman for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: “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.”
ITV and Channel 4 declined to comment.
2025-01-22T11:29:46Z
