Public service broadcasting spending on original shows falls 6%

Spending by the UK public service broadcasters on original programming fell by 6% last year, while output for the nations and regions was also down, Ofcom has revealed.

The media regulator found that overall spending on PSB network programming across the main five PSB channels - BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 - increased by 2% in real terms in 2010 to £2.9bn, but was down by 12% on 2006's figures.

With major sporting events last year such as the Vancouver Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, PSB spending on original, or "first-run", sports programmes rose by nearly 40% year-on-year to £596m.

However, investment in original PSB programming (excluding sports) declined by 6% year-on-year to £2.5bn. Since 2006, first-run spending at the PSBs has declined by 12% in real terms.

The drop varied across the channels, with the BBC's digital networks actually recording a 9% increase in first-run investment to £208m and flagship network BBC One upping its investment by £53m to £816m.

The most pronounced declines were at Channel 5, down 13% to £62m, and at Channel 4, where first-run spending was cut by £32m to £321m.

Over the four-year period to 2010, Channel 5's first run spending declined by 49%, Channel 4's dropped by 25%, ITV1's tumbled by 15%, and BBC Two fell by 11%. BBC One saw no change.

Ofcom also found a significant decline in PSB programming for the nations and regions, while viewers felt that the main TV channels were not doing enough to reflect British cultural identity.

According to the regulator's Public Service Broadcasting Annual Report, spend on nations and regions output by PSBs fell by £93m, or 26%, from £359m in 2006 to £266m in 2010.

Ofcom found that spending on regional content by ITV licence holders over the period declined by 43% to £85m, while the BBC's spending was cut by 14% to £181m.

After conducting viewer surveys, the regulator found that people feel the main TV channels are not "reflecting and strengthening" UK cultural identity.

The research showed that only a third (33%) of viewers felt the PSBs did a good job in "portraying my region well to the rest of the UK" and just 35% thought that channels provided "programmes about my region or nation".

Ofcom's report comes as Jeremy Hunt announced plans to provide spectrum on digital terrestrial television to support a range of new local TV services.

The culture secretary believes that local media is "a vital part of local democracy," while local TV channels can offer "great scope to contribute to growth in our creative industries, develop local journalism and help bring communities together around a shared voice".