• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Clean Feed

Clean Feed

  • Timeline
  • News
  • Opinion
  • PresWatch
  • Bloopers
  • News+
  • Resources
  • Rewind
  • Showreel
  • Studio A
  • Pres Café
  • TV Pres

Uncertain times for broadcasters and streaming services

Posted on 2nd October 2022 by Andrew Nairn
Last updated on 2nd October 2022 Filed under Opinion

In the coming days many households will hear how their energy costs will rise.

Mortgage rates are expected to rise noticeably in the coming months.

Add on the effects of inflation on day-to-day spending and some will simply be watching the pennies or finding ways to save money.

Meanwhile few will get a pay rise which comes close to matching inflation.

Faced with economic uncertainty like this, many will be weighing up their household spending carefully.

Will subscriptions to pay TV channels and streaming services suffer?

Naturally the question of value for money will vary from household to household. But inevitably some pay for channels they don’t watch or services they do not use routinely.

It would also be interesting to know how many people pay good money for pay TV packages even when most of the channels they watch are on Freeview and Freesat.

For some, cutting out Netflix or a pay TV package could be an easy saving.

It also reminds you what value for money the TV Licence is at barely £3 a week and of the importance of the three main commercial PSBs.

Yes, the weekly cost of a TV Licence is roughly the same as a decent coffee or a quality newspaper on a Saturday or Sunday. Its imperfections seem minor when the cost is expressed in these terms.

Still high inflation poses challenges for the BBC – just like it does for anyone on a fixed income.

Meanwhile the free-to-air commercial channels will be anxious in case there is a downturn in advertising.

This is a real risk. Anyone expressing a view on whether the PSBs should be allowed more advertising needs to consider questions of sustainability.

Over the summer the Competition and Markets Authority held a consultation on whether to allow ITV to change the way advertising time is sold. The aim is to harmonise arrangements between the former Granada and Carlton regions.

The CMA provisionally decided to allow this and is likely to confirm this soon.

Meanwhile the consultation by Ofcom on whether to look at raising the permitted amount of advertising ends next week.

Related

Acknowledgements

Related

FEATURE IMAGE:

PICTURED: money graphic. COPYRIGHT: Unknown.

Related

Related

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sidebar

Tags: Advertising, Licence Fee, Ofcom, Pay TV, Streaming Services

Dates for the Diary

3rd April 2023: BBC News Channel and BBC World News merge.

November/December 2023: World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23).

Q1 2024: SD versions of BBC channels close on satellite.

2024: BBC Four and CBBC go online-only.

2024: BBC Radio 4 Extra goes online-only.

Don’t Miss Out – Follow Us on Twitter

Our Twitter account will usually report the latest broadcast-related events shortly after they've happened and ahead of the website. You'll also catch a variety of items there that will not be covered on the website.
Clean Feed on Twitter.

Latest updates over on: Rewind

BBC Two Wales continuity including programme promotions for Surviving the Iron Age and Vote 2001 followed by Despatch Box opening (10th May 2001)

BBC Two Wales continuity including programme promotions for Surviving the Iron Age and Vote 2001 followed by Despatch Box opening (10th May 2001)

E4 continuity including service promotion for Film4 and programme promotion for The Sopranos (9th May 2001)

E4 continuity including service promotion for Film4 and programme promotion for The Sopranos (9th May 2001)

TV 3 continuity followed by Ireland AM (edits) (2 clips) (10th May 2001)

TV 3 continuity followed by Ireland AM (edits) (2 clips) (10th May 2001)

About This Site · Contact Us · FAQ · Privacy Policy · Terms and Conditions

© 2023 The TV Room. This site is not affiliated with any broadcaster, production company or design/marketing/talent agency.

Back to top