Consultation: Statement of Programme Policy and Statement of Media Content Policy guidance

The public service broadcasters (‘PSBs’) hold a unique place in UK society. Their role includes providing a wide range of informative and entertaining programmes that reflect the diversity of the nations and regions of the UK and are freely available to all.

The regulatory framework underpinning public service broadcasting for the past two decades is set out in the Communications Act 2003. The Media Act 2024 has amended this framework, updating the public service remit and requirements for the licensed PSBs (Channel 3 licensees, Channel 4 and Channel 5). The Media Act gives these PSBs more flexibility and freedom in the services they can use to meet their obligations in a way which serves audience interests, including for the first time on-demand and other online services. To ensure continued transparency and accountability, the changes introduced by the Media Act require the licensed PSBs to identify the contribution each service they plan to use will make to meeting their obligations.

One of the effects of these changes has been to broaden the role played by the Statements of Programme Policy (‘SoPPs’) through which the licensed PSBs each set out how they intend to fulfil their regulatory obligations. Channel 4 has additional media content duties, which it reports on in Statements of Media Content Policy (‘SMCPs’). The BBC has separate annual planning and reporting requirements under the BBC Charter and Framework Agreement and is not required to produce a SoPP.

SoPPs will now play a key part in the process introduced by the Media Act to allow licensed PSBs and S4C to make their content available, prominent and easily accessible on a range of connected TV platforms. If a licensed PSB, S4C or a person associated with them wishes to benefit from the new availability and prominence regime for their TV app – formally known as an ‘internet programme service’ (‘IPS’) under the Media Act – they must apply to Ofcom for designation of their IPS. Alongside this publication we have separately published our proposals to implement the designation process for the PSBs’ IPS.

The changes introduced by the Media Act require us to update our guidance to licensed PSBs about the range of information they provide in their SoPPs, and Channel 4 in its SMCPs.

Responding to this consultation

Please submit responses using the consultation Response Form (ODT, 98 KB) no later than 5pm 25 March 2025