UK broadcasters back government's 2034 target for full IPTV transition
The UK's Future TV Taskforce has issued support for a government proposal to transition television delivery primarily to IPTV by 2034. This shift aims to preserve public service media visibility and accessibility as audiences increasingly move toward internet-delivered platforms.
Key Takeaways
- Future TV Taskforce includes BBC, ITV, Channel 4, 5, STV, and S4C.
- Proposed transition timeline is set for 2034 to coincide with a 'fully digital society.'
- Government consultation seeks to ensure public service media prominence on global platforms.
- Infrastructure shift follows the 2024 launch of Freely, the industry-backed streaming platform.
- Taskforce chair Jonathan Thompson emphasizes a managed transition where 'no one is left behind.'
Why It Matters
The 2034 target marks a definitive pivot for the UK’s video infrastructure, moving from airwaves to exclusively IP-based delivery. This shift forces a reconciliation between public service mandates and a market dominated by global OS providers and social media giants. For the ecosystem, this accelerates the sunsetting of DTT in favor of CTV platforms, making the success of the broadcaster-owned Freely interface critical. Industry observers should watch for concrete spectrum reallocation plans and potential 5G broadcasting trials as 2034 approaches.
Additional Context
The government's proposal, titled 'Watch this Space: A new strategic direction for UK media,' arrives amid a significant downturn in traditional viewing. Per Ofcom reporting from June 2026, the number of UK households without broadband is projected to fall to just 220,000 by 2034—roughly 0.8% of the market. This decline in terrestrial reliance is corroborated by Everyone TV data, which noted that its Freely platform reached one million weekly users over the 2025 holiday period, doubling its user base in just three months. This rapid adoption supports the argument that the 'tipping point' for DTT's economic viability is approaching faster than previously anticipated.
Beyond distribution, the Green Paper integrates with the Media Act 2024, which is currently being implemented via secondary legislation. As of February 2026, major streamers such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are being brought under Ofcom's Tier 1 regulatory oversight, requiring them to follow content and accessibility standards similar to those of traditional broadcasters. This regulatory leveling is essential for the 2034 transition, as it ensures that public service content remains prominent and regulated even as the underlying delivery technology shifts away from legacy broadcast signals.
Internationally, the UK's move mirrors broader European consolidation efforts. In Germany, public broadcasters ARD and ZDF announced a major portfolio restructure in March 2026 to prioritize digital-first services by 2027. Similarly, France has faced intense political debate over merging France Télévisions and Radio France into a single holding company to compete with global digital platforms. These cross-border shifts suggest that the UK's IPTV migration is part of a wider regional urgency to modernize public service media for an IP-only era.
Read full article at c21media.net
Enjoy our coverage?
Add StreamingMeme as a preferred source on Google to see more of our streaming news at the top of your Search results.
Add as preferred source