PSBs power 85% of British TV, new report warns of risks to UK storytelling
August 26, 2026 08.13 Europe/London By Robert Briel

A new study from Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates (O&O), published by Everyone TV, highlights the central role public service broadcasters (PSBs) play in sustaining the UK’s production ecosystem — and warns that without urgent reform, the foundations of British storytelling could weaken.

According to the report, PSBs accounted for 71% of all UK original content investment in 2024 and 85% of original hours in 2025, making them the backbone of British television. Nearly two‑thirds of those hours were produced outside London, supporting jobs, skills and creative economies across the Nations and Regions.

The study also shows how PSBs help launch and grow independent production companies. Over the past decade, more than 600 new indie labels received their first commissions from PSBs. Those producers went on to generate £3.1 billion in revenue across the wider TV market between 2021 and 2025, with more than 70 companies now turning over £10 million a year. In 2025 alone, 76% of PSB‑commissioned indies were small producers, backed by around £365 million in investment.

PSBs remain major drivers of creative risk‑taking. In 2025, 63% of external drama commissions were new IP, representing more than 1,100 hours and £350 million of investment across genres. This gives producers the chance to develop new ideas, formats and talent — and helps maintain the UK’s reputation as one of the world’s most innovative TV markets.

The report also highlights how PSB commissions help unlock international finance. With 63% of PSB hours produced outside London, regional production capacity remains strong, and PSB greenlights often attract co‑funding partners. UK TV exports reached £2.02 billion in 2024/25, up 10.9% year‑on‑year, with PSB titles selling into more than 200 territories.

Jonathan Thompson, CEO of Everyone TV, says the findings show how deeply PSBs shape the wider industry. “The UK TV sector’s global success is not an accident. It is built on a public service broadcasting system that takes creative risks, backs new ideas and gives talent and production companies across the country the chance to grow into successful businesses with international reach.”

Mark Oliver, Chairman of Oliver & Ohlbaum, warns that pressures on PSB budgets and rising production costs are creating strain. He says PSBs act as “anchor investors” in the UK’s creative economy, but policy action is needed to ensure the system remains sustainable.

The report cautions that if PSB commissioning continues to decline, the UK could face a “spiral of decline” — fewer new producers breaking through, weaker regional production, and more rights and revenues shifting away from the UK. But it also argues that there is a clear opportunity to strengthen the PSB system, calling for coordinated action between government, broadcasters and the production sector to ensure British content remains free, discoverable and widely available in a streaming‑led future.

The findings will be discussed at the Edinburgh TV Festival in a panel titled PSBs and the Production Pipeline: What’s at Stake?, examining how the UK’s production landscape could evolve with either a weaker or stronger PSB ecosystem.

You can download the report PSBs and the Production Pipeline: What’s at Stake? HERE

https://www.everyonetv.co.uk/sites/d...20Pipeline.pdf