This is the most dramatic radicalisation of British television for a generation. Meanwhile, the BBC itself is preparing for the battle over its own charter renewal after 2027. Tim Davie, the new BBC Director General, faces a tremendous test. He needs to adjust to a quickly evolving media environment increasingly led by American streaming behemoths. This shift raises questions about the sustainability of traditional broadcasters and their ability to compete in an era characterized by changing viewer habits and technological advancements.
Sir Peter Bazalgette, the former Chairman of ITV, makes a strong case for greater consolidation between British broadcasters. He advocates for better collaboration between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. He even goes so far as to claim that the present “generous spread” of broadcasters isn’t sustainable in the long run. If his predictions are to be believed, it sounds like gloomy days are a-comin’ for old-school terrestrial television. Without a smart plan moving forward, he cautions that standard broadcasting may cease by 2035 at the latest.
Still, in the face of these impending existential crises, conventional TV is still incredibly well entrenched in British society. Latest figures show that 87% of Canadians aged four and up listen to commercial terrestrial broadcasters on a monthly basis. On average, they’re spending upwards of 137 minutes per day consuming this medium. By contrast, Americans average just 40 minutes a day on streaming TV—including both ad-supported and SVOD services. This information sheds light on the continued popularity of legacy broadcasters, despite changing consumer preferences.
YouTube’s viewing landscape TV sets overtook desktops as the dominant device for viewing YouTube at home in 2024. An incredible 41% of YouTube watch time occurred on TV sets. This pattern shows that despite the growth of digital content, linear television still plays a key role in everyday viewing habits.
In 2009, the UK Competition Commission rejected a plan to merge ITV and Channel 5. Second, they expressed alarms that this merger would hurt competition in the developing VoD market. Bazalgette cautions that “small just won’t fly” in this mega-competitive environment. He encourages the development of a unified plan to protect the industry’s future.
Lord Vaizey, the former Culture Minister, shares a more pessimistic view, suggesting that “the UK only has room for two domestic broadcasters.” Sarah Rose, President of Channel 5, rebuts that vision, calling it a “Doomsday prophecy.” Some industry insiders believe the time has come for one consolidated platform. This new platform would serve as home for all public service content, providing viewers a one stop shop to PSB programming from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5.
Alex Mahon, the departing CEO of Channel 4, makes an impassioned plea for the specialness of public service television. He thinks it’s doing great with flying colors due to its very unique content offerings. Fostering partnership – Former BBC Director General Lord Hall Of Birkenhead emphasizes the need for closer collaboration between broadcasters. He makes the case that no matter how great each individual network is, they cannot function in isolation. He notes that collaboration is critical in order to develop quality programming.
“It’s unthinkable not to build on what the BBC and others can deliver.” – Lord Hall
With viewing patterns unquestioningly still changing, British television stands at an important crossroads. Bazalgette underscores the urgency of this situation, warning that “we’re in danger of having no public service broadcasting within a decade.” He describes the present media landscape as a “martini streaming age.” During the pandemic era, content was made available “at any time, in any format, and at any place.”
Unsurprisingly, user-generated content platforms with globally-scaled, competing interests like YouTube and TikTok are making a splash. They do pose a significant threat to incumbent broadcasters. Kate Scott-Dawkins notes that the industry will likely see a continued shift in both viewing time and advertising revenue towards these digital platforms.
“The winners will have to be big enough to [both] afford high-end dramas for winning subscribers and maintain large back catalogues to keep subscribers happy.” – Sir Peter Bazalgette