Select committee: Communications and Digital Committee
Conclusion 16
1st Report - Public service broadcasting: as vital as ever
Published 5 Nov 2019
Paragraph 158
Communications and Digital Committee Public service broadcasting in the age of video on demand inquiry All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Public service broadcasters are vulnerable to cost inflation if skills shortages are not addressed, but they can still afford to make high-quality, distinctive British programmes. Public service broadcasters have benefitted from record levels of third-party funding: from co-productions with SVODs, co- productions with non-SVODs and deficit financing. However, we heard concerns from industry figures that third-party funding could decline in future once broadcasters have become dependent on it. Losing this funding would pose a serious danger to public service broadcasters and impair their ability to produce high-quality programmes. It would also damage the independent production sector. In a fast-changing market public service broadcasters’ access to third-party funding for programmes for UK audiences should be kept under review. We do not support proposals for a levy on SVOD subscriptions at this time, but we would expect Ofcom to assess the merits of a levy if the situation changes and to make recommendations accordingly. With the support of the Government, Ofcom should closely monitor emerging data and the impact of similar measures in other jurisdictions.
From: Communications and Digital Committee, 1st Report - Public service broadcasting: as vital as ever, paragraph 158, 5 November 2019
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 18 February 2020.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government shares the Committee's view on the importance of public service broadcasting, while saying that broadcasters will need to adapt and that legislation and regulation will need to evolve.
- On the listed events regime, the Government "does not plan to review the list", saying it "strikes an appropriate balance". It has announced the Paralympic Games will be added to group A and will set out next steps on women's equivalents "in due course".
- On BBC funding, it "has no plans to introduce a Licence Fee Commission" and considers it "appropriate to determine the level of the licence fee in discussions with the BBC".
- On prominence, the Government "has committed to act on Ofcom's prominence recommendations and is exploring the potential for legislation", and will set out next steps "in due course".
- On a levy on video on-demand subscriptions, the Government agrees one "is not appropriate at this time" and has no plans to introduce one, but "will keep the situation under review".