Working group set up to consider future of linear TV

Senior representatives from Ofcom, TV broadcasters, infrastructure operators and organisations representing audiences will join the new working group, which has been convened by media minister Stephanie Peacock MP.

The working group will consider how all viewers, including older people and those without internet connectivity on their TV, can continue to access content as consumer habits change.

The group will consult with key stakeholders about how changing viewing habits and the rise in audiences watching shows over the internet will impact the future of TV broadcasting, with a particular focus on the pressure this puts on delivering traditional broadcast television in a cost-effective way. 

The forum is due to meet quarterly, starting later this month, and three smaller working groups have also been formed to represent separately the TV sector, infrastructure and audience groups, with the groups to meet separately to gather evidence and drive forward policy development ahead of larger forum discussions. 

Peacock said: “As the shift towards streaming and watching live broadcasting online continues, it is vital that no one is left behind. I want to ensure that as many people as possible can watch TV in a way that suits them.

“This new forum, bringing together the major players in the TV industry and audience groups, will help deliver a long-term plan that ensures everyone in society can access world-class British content in the decades to come.”

The creation of the working group comes as the findings of a research report led by Exeter University and a group of independent researchers looked at the UK’s current television delivery and consumption trends, examining how they are likely to change in the coming decade, if no government intervention is taken. 

Based on current trends, the report predicted that 95% of households will have the capacity to watch TV over the internet by 2040, however, 5% of households, or 1.5 million people, will still rely on traditional linear broadcasting by the same year, without intervention. 

The research found that this ‘unconnected’ group tends to be significantly older, have a lower socioeconomic status and live in rural communities, with the cost of broadband and lack of digital skills factors in preventing households from adopting Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) or programmes delivered via the internet.

Rob Collier, head of strategy at MTM and co-author of the report, said: “While access to IPTV is set to approach universality in the next decade, the report highlights the sizeable group that will – without support – remain reliant on broadcast TV, and lacking the benefits of IPTV.

“As with the move from analogue to digital over a decade ago, there are a raft of considerations and ramifications for the entire TV ecosystem to navigate as we shift towards IPTV.”