The Future of Freeview: Protecting UK Terrestrial TV in a Digital Age

This episode explores the hidden threat to digital terrestrial television (Freeview), a vital, free, and universal service for 98.5% of the UK. With licences expiring in 2034, there's a significant debate about switching off Freeview and transitioning to internet-only streaming. We discuss why this could severely impact vulnerable communities, including the elderly, those in rural areas, and low-income households, who rely on Freeview due to unreliable or unaffordable broadband. The episode advocates for a hybrid model that combines terrestrial TV and streaming, ensuring universal access and national resilience.

Key Takeaways:

• Freeview (Digital Terrestrial Television - DTT) is a universal, free service for 98.5% of the UK, vital for millions without reliable or affordable broadband.
• It faces a potential switch-off by 2034, with some advocating for an online-only future when licences expire.
• Moving to internet-only TV could disproportionately affect vulnerable people (older, rural, low-income, disabled) and incur significant costs for viewers and taxpayers.
• DTT offers reliability, a crucial fallback during broadband outages, and helps combat loneliness and isolation.
• A hybrid TV model, combining terrestrial and streaming, is widely supported to ensure universal access, resilience, and avoid widening the "digital divide".

Important Definitions and Concepts:

• Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) / Freeview: Free-to-air TV channels accessed via an aerial, without monthly subscription costs.
• Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) / Streaming: TV content delivered over the internet, requiring high-speed broadband and often paid subscriptions.
• Digital Divide: The gap in access to high-speed internet and digital services, affecting those due to geographical, economic, or age-related factors.

Source: Future of Terrestrial Television
Volume 772: debated on Thursday 4 September 2025

Transcript

Unknown: 0:00

Thank you.

Ivan: 0:03

Hello and welcome again to The Bench Report, where we discuss recent debates and briefings from the benches of the UK Parliament. A new topic every episode. You're listening to Amy and Ivan. Today, we're exploring a critical debate directly from Westminster that impacts millions across the UK. The future of terrestrial television. You know, Freeview.

Amy: 0:23

That's right. And it's not just about what's on your screen. It's really about universal access, getting vital information and just staying connected.

Ivan: 0:31

So Freeview, that signal you pick up through an aerial for BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5. It's much more than just one way to watch TV.

Amy: 0:39

Absolutely. It's a fundamental service. Think about the reach, 98.5% of the UK population. That covers cities, sure, but also the most remote rural areas.

Ivan: 0:48

And crucially, beyond the license fee, there's no extra subscription cost. You just need the TV and an aerial.

Amy: 0:54

Exactly. That accessibility is, well, it's the heart of the matter for millions. It's cost effective. It's reliable. But here's the worrying part. Its future really hangs in the Well, the current broadcast licenses are set to expire in 2034. And as things stand, there's no long-term commitment to continue it.

Ivan: 1:12

2034. That's not actually that far away in infrastructure terms.

Amy: 1:16

It isn't. And what's really striking is how few people seem to know. Surveys suggest something like 69% of the public weren't even aware Freeview's future was uncertain. Wow.

Ivan: 1:26

Meanwhile, we're all seeing this big shift towards streaming, towards internet protocol television or IPTV. It feels like the modern alternative. alternative.

Amy: 1:34

It is growing, no doubt. But it depends entirely on having high speed, fixed broadband. And that's a major hurdle for a lot of people.

Ivan: 1:41

Availability or cost or both?

Amy: 1:43

Both. There are estimates suggesting 5.5 million premises might still not have taken up high speed broadband by 2040. And then there's the cost. Citizens Advice found a million people canceled their broadband in 2022 simply because they couldn't afford it.

Ivan: 1:57

That immediately flags up a potential, well, a widening digital divide, doesn't it?

Amy: 2:01

It certainly does. And considering reliability too. Freeview is known for being very stable, close to 99% uptime.

Ivan: 2:09

Whereas broadband?

Amy: 2:10

Broadband outages are common. Almost half of customers had an outage over 48 hours last year. That difference matters, especially if it's your only source of information.

Ivan: 2:19

So let's talk about why protecting terrestrial TV is seen as so important. It seems to act as a guarantor, almost, of universal access to British broadcasting, a kind of hybrid model alongside streaming.

Amy: 2:33

That's a way to put it. And it's definitely not some niche service. Over 80% of the content watched from BBC and ITV is still on traditional linear TV.

Ivan: 2:41

And Freeview accounts for a huge chunk of that.

Amy: 2:43

About half of that linear viewing, yes. A massive amount. And the social impact, we can't overlook that.

Ivan: 2:50

How so?

Amy: 2:51

Research shows 75% of people feel it helps reduce loneliness and isolation. That figure jumps to 87% for people over 65.

Ivan: 2:59

That's significant.

Amy: 3:00

It is. For older people, those with disabilities, households on low incomes, people in remote communities. For many of them, Freeview isn't a backup plan. It's their primary connection.

Ivan: 3:09

Their main window on the world.

Amy: 3:10

Precisely. And beyond personal use, it's part of our critical national infrastructure. It supports radio broadcasts, emergency alerts. Think back to events like Storm Dara. Its role was vital.

Ivan: 3:24

So, a strong case for keeping it. But there are arguments for switching it off, aren't there? We've heard suggestions, even from the BBC Director General, about moving to towards online-only viewing eventually.

Amy: 3:35

Yes, that argument exists. The main points are freeing up valuable radio spectrum, those airwaves used for mobile data, emergency services, and so on.

Ivan: 3:44

And potentially cost savings for broadcasters.

Amy: 3:46

Potentially. Terrestrial broadcasting is currently less than 3% of the license fee. But the cost per viewer is apparently rising as audiences fragment.

Ivan: 3:55

But weigh that against the cost of the switch-off for ordinary people.

Amy: 3:58

Exactly. You're looking at an estimated 214 extra per year for households forced onto broadband and potentially a billion pounds a year for the government to fund the necessary infrastructure upgrades.

Ivan: 4:10

So the counter argument is that abandoning Freeview doesn't just risk widening that digital divide we mentioned.

Amy: 4:15

It also potentially weakens national resilience and fundamentally changes TV access from a universal service to more of a privilege.

Ivan: 4:24

It's clearly a complex balancing act. Where does the government currently stand on this?

Amy: 4:28

Well, no final decision has been made. The Department for Culture, Media and sport is leading what they call a major project looking into TV distribution

Ivan: 4:38

and their stated aim,

Amy: 4:39

a strong commitment to maintaining universal access. They've set up a stakeholder forum,

Ivan: 4:44

bring together

Amy: 4:45

Ofcom industry representatives, but also crucially audience groups, organizations like the Digital Poverty Alliance, the Rural Services Network, Silver Voices, people representing those most likely to be affected.

Ivan: 4:58

So they're gathering evidence, discussing solutions before any decisions are made.

Amy: 5:02

That's the plan. Ensuring, hopefully, that no one gets left behind whatever the future holds.

Ivan: 5:07

It leaves us with a searching question, though. Given that terrestrial TV is clearly more than just entertainment. It's news, community connection, emergency information. What does its potential disappearance tell us about the real cost of what we call digital progress? And who ultimately bears that cost? As always, find us on social media at BenchReportUK. Get in touch with any topic important to you.

Amy: 5:31

Remember, politics is everyone's business.

Ivan: 5:33

Take care.