DTVE: the week in view — Does the UK Media Bill mark a comeback for PSBs?
Digital TV Europe
Covering new content and distribution platforms, technology and the business of payTV and broadband.
British public service broadcasters (PSBs) may finally be able to recover some ground in their unequal battle for visibility with global streamers such as Netflix. The UK government this week published the draft Media Bill, which is intended to even the playing field between traditional broadcasters and streamers.
The new draft legislation will see pubcasters such as the BBC , ITV , Channel 4 , Channel 5 , STV Group plc , and S4C receive new privileges that should help them grow their audience, boost high-quality British content and invest in new technologies to keep up with the streaming giants.?The new bill also imposes further regulations on streaming services consumed in the UK which sees SVOD platforms such as Netflix , Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ subjected to a new Ofcom content code.
The newly introduced regulation will allow VoD viewers to be able to formally complain to Ofcom , which the UK media watchdog will have more power to investigate and issues fines of up to ￡250,000 or even restrict a service’s availability in the UK on the basis of audience protection measures.
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