Ofcom has confirmed a series of updates to Public Service Broadcaster (PSB) production quotas, bringing the framework in line with the Media Act 2024 and today’s cross-platform viewing landscape.
The reforms are designed to give broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 greater flexibility in how they meet their public service commitments across both linear and on-demand platforms, while ensuring continued regional investment and support for independent production.
What’s changing
Under the new system, PSB original production levels will move from being calculated as a percentage of linear output to an absolute figure that can be applied across all content platforms.
To ensure these quotas remain effective over time, Ofcom has set a 2% annual increase in regional spend to reflect rising production costs. The regulator will review the figures every three years as part of its ongoing Public Service Media review.
Ofcom has also adjusted the rules around independent supplier quotas to align with recent government guidance. Updated annual targets now include:
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BBC: 1,750 hours
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ITV: 750 hours
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Channel 4: 600 hours
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Channel 5: 350 hours
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S4C: 300 hours
Reactions from broadcasters
While broadcasters broadly welcomed the reforms, some raised concerns about the annual regional spend increase.
The BBC highlighted that PSB revenues have dropped by more than a quarter in real terms over the last decade, warning that the new approach could push up quotas faster than broadcasters’ budgets allow. It called for regular reviews to ensure regional production targets remain achievable and aligned with real-world spending levels.
Channel 4 suggested a phased approach, proposing that quotas remain flat for the first two years before applying inflation-based uplifts if appropriate. ITV voiced similar reservations, while Channel 5 supported the change but cautioned that future economic shifts could make the rule more difficult to meet.
Trade bodies Pact and TAC (Television Association of Cymru) both backed Ofcom’s revisions, praising the regulator’s commitment to maintaining regional investment and strengthening independent production.
A balancing act for modern PSBs
These changes reflect Ofcom’s continued effort to modernise the PSB framework for an audience that increasingly consumes content across digital and on-demand services.
By anchoring quotas to absolute figures and introducing incremental regional adjustments, the regulator is seeking to balance accountability with flexibility — ensuring that public service content continues to reach audiences wherever they choose to watch.
As the industry adapts to cost pressures, platform diversification, and shifting audience habits, Ofcom’s approach aims to futureproof the PSB system for the decade ahead.
