As more people watch more TV online, a well-functioning connected TV platform market contributes to audiences having access to a wide range of high-quality content and services.
We have examined the role of connected TV platforms as digital content gateways, looking at whether content providers are able to make their content available and discoverable to UK audiences on connected TV platforms.
We have gathered and reviewed a range of evidence relevant to our powers to impose access-related conditions, including from major connected TV platform operators. This update document summarises our findings, looking particularly at agreements between platform operators and content providers. The document also describes some of the market’s features that could, in future, pose risks to competition, which might undermine the ability of content providers to access a range of platforms.
The Media Act 2024 has changed Ofcom's responsibilities as the UK's regulator of broadcast and video-on-demand services. In particular, it has introduced new rules to ensure Public Service Broadcasters’ players and public service content are available, prominent and easily accessible on a range of connected TV platforms. In the light of the analysis set out in this document and our new responsibilities under the Media Act, we have decided as a matter of administrative priority that we will not consider the application of access-related conditions in the connected TV platform market further at this time. Instead, we will prioritise putting the Media Act rules into practice.
