In the coming weeks I will be working with Better Media, a members-based organisation that campaigns for more inclusive and representative forms of independent, community, and professional media, to submit a response to the consultation by Ofcom on their Workplan for 2025/26.
The deadline for consultation responses is 29th January 2025
Under the heading ‘Media We Can Trust and Value’, Ofcom focuses on ensuring audiences across the UK can access various trusted, high-quality broadcast and online media content. The main areas of work in this priority for 2025/26 include:
Implementation of the Media Act
- Public Service Broadcaster (PSB) Requirements: Developing new regulatory guidance, including statements of programme policy and quotas for independent producers.
- Listed Events: Consulting on changes to ensure major sporting and cultural events remain accessible to audiences.
- PSB On-Demand Services: Implementing new rules for the prominence and availability of PSB content on online platforms.
- New Audience Protection Measures for Video-on-Demand (VoD): Preparing a report to identify and regulate ‘Tier 1’ VoD services under the new VoD Code.
- Radio Regulation: Updating rules for local news on analogue commercial radio and new digital radio multiplex requirements.
- Voice Assistants: Advising the Secretary of State on regulating internet radio services accessible through voice assistants.
Public Service Media (PSM) Review
- Examining how PSM provision can be strengthened to maintain access to high-quality, accurate news and diverse UK-wide content.
- Publishing findings and identifying areas for potential government intervention or further regulatory changes.
BBC Regulation
- Mid-Term Review Implementation: Updating competition guidance, developing a BBC Online Material Code, and reviewing complaints processes.
- Proposed Changes to BBC Audio Services: Assessing public interest tests for new BBC DAB+ stations and changes to existing services.
- Periodic Review: Conducting a review of the BBC ahead of its Charter renewal in 2027.
Advertising of Less Healthy Foods (LHFs)
- Preparing for the enforcement of advertising restrictions on less healthy food and drink products, coming into force in October 2025.
Ongoing Activities
- Content Standards Enforcement: Prioritising cases of potential harm, such as incitement to crime or uncontextualised hate speech.
- Licensing Services: Managing licences for TV, radio, and digital community radio services.
- Accessibility of TV Services: Monitoring and enforcing requirements for subtitles, audio description, and signing.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Reporting on broadcaster workforce diversity and equity.
- Local Media Support: Strengthening local news through new requirements and the PSM framework.
Ofcom’s work aims at safeguarding media plurality, protecting audiences, and ensuring fair competition among media providers while upholding freedom of expression.
Raising Questions About Ofcom’s Media Workplan: Is It Truly Serving All Citizens and Communities?
As Ofcom sets out its priorities for 2025/26, we must ask whether its workplan adequately addresses the needs of all citizens, particularly those who remain underserved by current media platforms. For listeners and viewers who depend on diverse, inclusive, and trusted media content, significant gaps persist—especially in the provision of local and community-based broadcasting.
A key concern lies in Ofcom’s apparent lack of focus on reopening FM and AM radio licencing. These traditional, cost-effective platforms have the potential to radically improve access to media for underserved communities, particularly in areas where digital infrastructure is insufficient or unaffordable. By failing to make FM and AM licences available to new entrants, Ofcom may be missing an opportunity to foster greater diversity and purposefulness in broadcasting.
For minority communities and underrepresented groups, this is not a minor oversight. Radio remains a vital medium for connecting people, sharing local stories, and reflecting the unique cultural identities of communities across the UK. The affordability of FM and AM broadcasting offers a lifeline for smaller operators who lack the resources to compete on DAB or online platforms but have the passion and commitment to serve their audiences.
Some critical questions for Ofcom are:
- How does its workplan ensure fair access to the airwaves for new and diverse voices, particularly those from minority or marginalised communities?
- What steps is Ofcom taking to support smaller broadcasters who could benefit from the lower costs of FM and AM transmission?
- Is the current emphasis on digital and DAB platforms inadvertently creating barriers for communities and places that cannot afford or access these technologies?
- How will Ofcom measure its success in ensuring all citizens, especially those in underserved areas, have access to relevant and trusted media?
Ofcom’s stated commitment to media audiences is welcome, but it risks being undermined if it does not address the structural inequities in how broadcasting licences are allocated. A fairer, more inclusive approach would recognise the continuing importance of FM and AM as accessible, reliable platforms for reaching and empowering communities across the UK.
This is not just about the technology; it is about giving a voice to the voiceless and ensuring that no community is left behind. Will Ofcom take the bold step to rethink its priorities and make this a reality?
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