Media
ITV, Five could drop PSB status by 2014
Published Wednesday, Sep 17 2008, 11:01 BST | By James Welsh
Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards has said that ITV and Five may drop their public service obligations by 2014.
In a speech to be given tonight at the Royal Television Society, Richards is to say: "Between now and 2014, ITV1 and Five should retain important public service broadcasting roles but focused on UK origination and news, and the nations and regions."
He is to add that after 2014, for both ITV and Five, "the arguments for retaining their public service benefits and obligations are more evenly balanced", and agrees with the position that the costs of providing public service content will outweigh the value of the gifted analogue spectrum for most Channel 3 licences "well before switchover is complete and in some cases imminently".
Richards is also expected to suggest that "top-slicing" the licence fee in order to plug a £100m hole in Channel 4's finances should become government policy.
In a speech to be given tonight at the Royal Television Society, Richards is to say: "Between now and 2014, ITV1 and Five should retain important public service broadcasting roles but focused on UK origination and news, and the nations and regions."
He is to add that after 2014, for both ITV and Five, "the arguments for retaining their public service benefits and obligations are more evenly balanced", and agrees with the position that the costs of providing public service content will outweigh the value of the gifted analogue spectrum for most Channel 3 licences "well before switchover is complete and in some cases imminently".
Richards is also expected to suggest that "top-slicing" the licence fee in order to plug a £100m hole in Channel 4's finances should become government policy.
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