UK government wants streaming companies like Apple TV+ to meet same standards as traditional TV companies

In a new whitepaper, the UK government has outlined plans to bring streaming services such as Apple TV+ and Netflix under a new Video-on-Demand Code. The government wants companies behind streaming services to meet the same standards as traditional TV companies.

The white paper was resented to Parliament by the secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport by Command of Her Majesty on April 28. The government wants to:

• Ensure TV-like content, no matter how audiences choose to watch it, is subject to similar standards. These changes will mean UK audiences will be better protected from harmful material and better able to complain to Ofcom if they see something they are concerned about.
• Introduce a new prominence regime for on-demand television to ensure that public service content is both available and easy to find on designated TV platforms.
• Update the remit which our public service broadcasters must contribute to so that it delivers for today’s viewers.
• Give our public service broadcasters more flexibility in terms of how they deliver their obligations to reflect how audiences are viewing content.
• Pursue a change of ownership of Channel 4 to ensure it can continue to thrive and grow its impact for years to come, as part of the wider public service broadcasting ecology in the UK.