Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has warned that the government is ready to change legislation to ensure public service content is carried prominently on platforms such as YouTube.
“Public service media content should be prominent on major video sharing platforms and on fair commercial returns. If we need to regulate, we will,” Nandy told the Royal Television Society’s Cambridge Convention.
The Wigan MP continued: “Public service media is fighting to be seen and heard in an increasingly competitive market. It fights with one arm behind its back, staring down multiple challenges — funding shortfalls, changing viewing habits, and regulation that hasn’t kept pace with the media revolution of recent years.”
Although she did not name YouTube directly, the platform was the clear target of her comments. The intervention follows Ofcom’s Future of Public Service Media report in July, which urged the government to ensure PSB content is prominent on YouTube.
Ofcom’s research found YouTube was second only to the BBC in terms of UK viewing share last year, underlining its growing importance in the TV landscape. Earlier in the day, Kevin Mayer – who heads Candle Media, the company behind kids’ hit CoComelon – also raised concerns over the unpredictability of YouTube’s algorithm.
Nandy praised the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and others at a time when audiences are fragmenting and trust in media is under pressure.
“In Britain we have a unique strength – a strength that is the envy of people across the world, that underpins our whole broadcasting ecosystem,” she said. “That is our public service media, which provides us with higher levels of trust, higher quality debate, greater intolerance for corruption and shared national moments – in short, one of the most valuable tools we have to empower our citizens to help us understand one another and make our own informed choices – whatever those choices may be.”
The Labour MP also repeated concerns she raised last week about “shared spaces and shared understanding” being undermined by broadcasters such as GB News giving politicians like Reform UK leader Nigel Farage presenting roles.
“We will act to empower audiences further, so that not only do they see high-quality content, but they can distinguish between news and polemic, and misleading or false content,” she added.
“The lines have blurred in recent years and it has eroded trust in our media, democracy and most dangerously, in each other. Ofcom’s consultation on politicians presenting news closed in June, and we await their findings with interest.”
Nandy also singled out the BBC for praise: “It is a light on the hill for people here and across the world and the best defence against the tide of toxic populism, fear and division that sows distrust and costs us the ability to understand one another.”
