Public service broadcasting (PSB) has a long and proud tradition in the UK, delivering impartial and trusted news, UK-originated programmes and distinctive content.
The public service broadcasters are those providing Channel 3 services, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C and the BBC. While all BBC public service television channels are PSB channels, only the main channels of each of the other public service broadcasters have this status.
The reviews and reports below provide info about how the television public service broadcasters are performing in terms of delivering PSB.
On 27 February, Ofcom published a review of how public service broadcasting (PSB) has delivered for UK audiences over a five-year period (2014 – 2018) and a five-year review of Channel 4’s performance in meeting its media content duties.
Both publications and supporting data are designed to help inform our wider programme of work on the future of PSB – Small Screen: Big Debate. This a different approach from our previous PSB reviews. Its purpose is to provoke a broad and dynamic national conversation involving viewers, the broadcasting industry, Parliament, and regulators about how the benefits of PSB might best be assured for the future.
A new website was launched to support this debate – www.smallscreenbigdebate.co.uk. This provides easy access to all Ofcom and third-party research, and other materials relevant to our national conversation about the future of PSB. The site provides an opportunity for people to join the conversation and share their personal views to help inform our consultation in the summer.
