Recommendation 1

HM Government Acknowledged

The Government welcomes the publication of the Committee’s report and is grateful for the Committee’s comprehensive inquiry into ‘The Future of Public Service Broadcasting’. The Government wholeheartedly agrees with the Committee’s assessment that the need for public service broadcasting remains as strong as ever. At a time when we are witnessing seismic shifts in the way people are discovering and viewing audiovisual content, the ability of our public service broadcasters (PSBs) to make programmes that appeal to the breadth of the UK population and unite audiences across generations remains undisputed. What is more, the PSBs have demonstrated their unique value to the UK during the coronavirus pandemic, finding new and innovative ways to bring relevant British content to audiences across the country and providing vital assistance of educational programmes for children learning from home. The Government also agrees with the Committee that the pandemic has reinforced the critical importance of free and easy access to trusted news provided by PSBs, both in terms of disseminating essential information and tackling disinformation and misinformation. The latter point remains a priority for this Government, as set out in previous responses to the Committee.1 During the pandemic, the Government has worked to support the broadcasting sector, including our public service broadcasters. In addition to supporting individuals across the economy through financial packages such as the job retention scheme and the self- employed income support scheme, the £500 million Film and TV Production Restart Scheme has given productions the confidence to keep shooting. To date, 437 production companies are using the scheme, representing over £1.4 billion of production budgets and over 41,000 jobs supported, a significant proportion of which is programming made, or commissioned, by PSBs. The Government has also worked with industry to produce guidance to support the effective assessment and management of COVID-19 risk in workplaces such as TV production. Looking ahead to the challenges of tomorrow, the Government is supportive of a modern system of public service broadcasting that is dynamic, relevant and can continue to meet the needs of UK audiences in the future. As such the Government is currently conducting its own review of public service broadcasting, and as part of this process has formed a PSB Advisory Panel to provide independent expertise and advice on this important issue. At the same time Ofcom are also in the middle of Small Screen Big Debate, its latest periodic review of public service broadcasting and the Government looks forward to receiving their recommendations in the summer. The Government will look to bring together the work of these reviews, as well as the Committee’s own findings, and will set out its position and next steps for this work later this year. The Government remains committed to legislating