Ofcom and the PSBs
WHAT WILL OFCOM DO NEXT?
Last Autumn, Ofcom were granted powers by the new Digital Economy Act to once again regulate ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 to take children’s and youth content. This was contingent on their analysis of the kids' content market in the UK - and basically a sense of whether enough variety and volume of new content was being produced for
the younger audience. Ofcom’s Children’s Content Review last year identified squarely that there is still significant market failure in kids. Over the last ten years the number of hours and the amount of money spent has plummeted.


The CMF broadly agrees that insisting on more children’s content on ITV1, for example, is not the best way to serve the audience. Each of the PSBs has a different age range as its priority, and each has a range of outlets open to capturing more of those audience groups. With the advent of content part-financed by the BFI Young Audiences Content Fund - it would seen like the perfect time for all three to take a new and ambitious approach to commissioning and funding new content.
If Ofcom open up consultation on the proposals then CMF will of course respond. Meanwhile, the CMF event on May 9th, The Fund, Ofcom and the PSBs, will discuss the broadcasters’ proposals and find out from Ofcom, whether they match the needs of the depleted market and what action they will take in response.
CMC Exchange at London Book Fair 2019 Young Audiences Content Fund Soon To Launch