Public service broadcasting (PSB) has a long and proud tradition in the UK. It delivers impartial and trusted news, programmes made in the UK and unique content.
The public service broadcasters are those providing Channel 3 services, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C and the BBC. While all BBC television channels are public service channels, only the main channels of the other broadcasters have this status.
How we regulate the BBC
As the BBC's external regulator, our job is to make sure the corporation is delivering for audiences, and hold it to account for fulfilling its Mission and Public Purposes.
Find out more about our regulation of the BBC.
Ofcom has some rules and guidance that apply to all PSBs. We also monitor how well they are performing and publish our findings. Keep reading to find out more.
Separately, you can also find information specific to how we regulate:
Important policies and guidance for PSBs
Regional production and programming
Producing TV programmes outside London is vital to the UK's TV production sector. It helps stimulate investment and create job opportunities across the country.
To encourage TV production in the nations and regions, Ofcom imposes quotas on each PSB so they have to produce a fair proportion of programmes outside London. The BBC and Channel 3 licences also have regional quotas, meaning they have to make programmes of interest to people in the UK's different nations and regions.
Find out more about regional TV production and programming
Listed events
Our listed events rules make sure that certain events of national interest (like major sports events) are free to view, live, by the largest possible audience.
The future of public service media
In February 2020, Ofcom published a review of how well PSBs delivered for UK audiences (PDF, 3.2 MB) from 2014 to 2018. We also published a review of how well Channel 4 met its media content duties (PDF, 811.7 KB) in the same years.
These reports and our accompanying research informed a bigger review of the future of public service broadcasting: Small Screen: Big Debate. Breaking from our older reviews, the purpose of Small Screen: Big Debate was to start a national conversation about how we renew the UK's public service media sector for the next decade.
As part of our review, we held a virtual conference looking at the big questions facing public service broadcasting in the 2020s. You can watch footage of some of these events on YouTube.
In July 2021, we published our final recommendations (PDF, 1.5 MB) to the UK Government on the future of public service media. We heard the views of viewers and listeners across the UK, and had over 100 responses to our consultation. These all shaped our recommendations.
Other reports and reviews
Our PSB reviews examine the performance of the public service broadcasting sector overall: what potential challenges it faces in the future and how it can prepare for them.
- Ofcom’s third PSB review (2015)
- Ofcom’s second PSB Review – Putting viewers first (phase two) (2009)
- Ofcom's second PSB Review – Summary of responses (phase one) (2008)
- Ofcom's first PSB review: Competition for quality (phase three) (2005)
- Ofcom's first PSB review: Meeting the digital challenge (phase two) (2004)
- Ofcom's first PSB review – phase one (2004)
Quotas require PSBs to show at least a minimum number of certain types of programme. These quotas are set out in law and Ofcom's job is to enforce them.
Each year, we review how well broadcasters have met these requirements.
- Public Service Broadcasting Annual Compliance Report 2023
- Public Service Broadcasting Annual Compliance Report 2022
- Public Service Broadcasting Annual Compliance Report 2021
- Public Service Broadcasting Annual Compliance Report 2020
- Public Service Broadcasting Annual Compliance Report 2019
Older reports are available via the National Archives.
The future of public service media (July 2019)
On 4 July 2019, we published a document signalling our future approach to the regulation of public service broadcasters in the digital age (PDF, 145.7 KB). This considers how PSB might be defined, delivered and discovered in future, prioritising the audience’s perspective.
Review of prominence for PSB (July 2019)
In 2018 we consulted on whether new legislation was needed for PS to remain easy to find as viewers increasingly watch TV online. We received views from broadcasters and other stakeholders and set out our recommendations to Government for a new framework that will ensure that PSB content is easy for viewers to find in the online world.
Review of children’s content (July 2018)
Our review of children’s content focused on how the UK’s public service broadcasters (PSBs) deliver a range of programmes to children at a time of changing audience habits and children’s increasing viewing of videos on-demand and online.
PSB in the digital age (March 2018)
On 8 March 2018, we published a document that sets out the challenges facing the PSB system (PDF, 383.6 KB) in the context of greater online media consumption and competition from new global players.