Committee publication · Correspondence · 23 June 2026
Letter from Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts, regarding the Watch this Space Green Paper, 22 June 2026
From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Inquiry: The work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Summary
Minister Ian Murray announces publication of the Watch this Space Green Paper, setting new strategic direction for UK media policy. The government proposes interventions to support informed society through social media discoverability requirements and media literacy duties; manages transition from digital terrestrial to internet-delivered TV with support package; and explores reforms to public service media prominence and system-wide restructuring to reverse declining output.
Key findings
- Government will consult on requiring social media platforms to make trustworthy news providers easily discoverable to counter misinformation, particularly during crises.
- New duty proposed for public service media (PSM) providers to develop and report on media literacy strategies, with coordinated sector-wide efforts under consideration.
- DTT services will be maintained until end of 2034, with government consulting on managed withdrawal plan and support package for audience transition to IPTV addressing affordability and accessibility.
- Government prefers industry-led voluntary agreements on PSM prominence on third-party platforms (e.g. video sharing sites) but will legislate if partnerships insufficient.
- Consultation launched on strategic PSM system reforms to better reflect media consumption patterns and reverse declining output from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV and S4C.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Ian Murray MP, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV, S4C
Notable line
“We are consulting on a comprehensive set of proposals to ensure our media, and television in particular, can continue to play its vitally important role in our society and our democracy.”
Key Quotes
“At its best, our media provides the basis of a cohesive country and a healthy democracy.”
“We will explore legislative options to require social media to make trustworthy news providers – which could include national and local news publishers and broadcasters – easily discoverable.”
“The UK television market is shifting from traditional broadcast platforms such as digital terrestrial TV (DTT) to internet-delivered viewing”
“The Government's strong preference remains for industry-led, voluntary agreements to achieve increased prominence in a sustainable and robust way that satisfies all parties.”
“We want a system that encourages the creation of more public service content, reversing the trend of recent years which has seen the output of our PSM providers decline.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗