London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 21, 2025

Streaming TV giants face tighter UK regulation

Streaming TV giants face tighter UK regulation

Services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ could face tighter regulation in the UK under government proposals.

Traditional broadcasters like the BBC and ITV have to comply with regulator Ofcom's code covering issues like harm, offence, accuracy and impartiality. But most streaming platforms do not.

The government has announced a review into whether to strengthen the rules.

Meanwhile, ministers have also confirmed a consultation into whether to privatise Channel 4.

The broadcaster is currently funded by adverts but is publicly-owned.

'Potentially harmful'


The only streaming platform that must currently adhere to Ofcom's broadcasting code is the BBC iPlayer. The regulator can issue fines and suspend licences if the rules are broken.

Separate rules regulating incitement to hatred and other "harmful material" apply to streaming services with head and editorial offices in the UK - which include Amazon Prime and Disney+, but not Netflix.

Currently, the Ofcom website contains a statement explaining that "Netflix is based in the Netherlands and therefore not within Ofcom's jurisdiction".

However, some services have introduced their own voluntary procedures - such as Netflix's age ratings partnership with the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).

In Wednesday's announcement, the government said there was currently an "inconsistent, ad-hoc and potentially harmful gap in regulation".

Netflix shows don't come under the same rules as broadcasters like the BBC and ITV

Announcing the moves, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "Technology has transformed broadcasting but the rules protecting viewers and helping our traditional channels compete are from an analogue age.

"The time has come to look at how we can unleash the potential of our public service broadcasters while also making sure viewers and listeners consuming content on new formats are served by a fair and well-functioning system.

"So we'll now be looking at how we can help make sure Channel 4 keeps its place at the heart of British broadcasting and level the playing field between broadcasters and video-on-demand services."

Last year, Netflix faced criticism from Mr Dowden over scenes in its hit drama series The Crown which contained historical inaccuracies.

According to Ofcom's latest figures, viewers watched subscription streaming services for one hour 11 minutes in April 2020 - double the previous year.

In 2019, two in five viewers of streaming services told the Ofcom they could imagine watching no broadcast TV at all in five years' time.

Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ have been contacted for comment.

'Public service before profit'


Changes to streaming regulation and Channel 4's ownership could both be included in a new media law that is expected to be unveiled in a white paper this autumn.

On Tuesday, Channel 4 executives warned that privatisation could make it less likely to make shows that are not commercially appealing, whereas the current priority for its programmes is "not about the bottom line".

Chief executive Alex Mahon told a committee of MPs: "We are always, in all the decisions we make, able to put public service before profit.

"When you run commercial businesses, by necessity, your priorities change. They have to. And therefore you have to make decisions differently. You have to think about shareholder returns."

In Wednesday's announcement, the government also confirmed it would go ahead with new laws to ensure sure UK public service broadcasters have a prominent spot on smart TVs and other platforms and devices.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
×