DirectorsUKrespondstoGovernmentplansforthefutureofTV

Last week, Directors UK submitted its response to the Government’s Media Green Paper, 'Watch this Space', a public consultation on the future of television and media in the UK.  

Our message was clear: the future of UK television depends on supporting the directors and freelancers who create the programmes we love. As the media landscape continues to evolve, the Government must ensure its policies allow directors to build sustainable careers and continue making world-class television.  

The Government’s consultation is wide-ranging, spanning everything from TV regulation to proposals that could eventually see traditional broadcast television replaced by internet-delivered TV. In our response, we focussed on the issues that matter most to directors, highlighting several priorities for the future of the sector.  

Strong public service media = More opportunities for directors 
For directors, strong public service media means opportunities to work. Public service broadcasters account for over 80% of domestic UK TV commissioning spend and invest in a range of genres that may not be supported under commercial models. As funding pressures grow, Directors UK is calling for continued support for public service media, so it can keep commissioning original UK programmes and provide career opportunities for directors. 

Ensuring UK-produced programmes can still be found
As viewing habits shift to streaming services and online platforms, UK-produced programmes are no longer guaranteed the visibility they once enjoyed on traditional broadcast TV. That is why Directors UK is calling for public service and UK-produced programmes to remain prominent and discoverable online. Public service broadcasters still commission the majority of original UK programming, but if audiences cannot easily find these programmes, future investment and commissioning opportunities could suffer. Keeping UK programmes visible supports original British storytelling and the opportunities it creates for directors. 

Support sustainable freelance careers 
Directors are almost entirely freelance, and freelancers make up around half of the screen sector workforce. Policy discussions are often too focussed on institutions rather than the people creating the programmes themselves. Directors UK is calling on the Government to do more to put freelancers at the centre of future policymaking. This includes working closely with the new Freelance Champions and addressing the unique challenges of careers built around short-term, project-based work. 

Incentivising production across the nations and regions 
Programmes made outside London do not necessarily create opportunities for local directors or developing regional creative careers. Directors UK is calling on the Government to review the criteria for defining out-of-London production to ensure they genuinely support regional growth and local employment, rather than simply measuring where production takes place. Future Government policy must support both regional production and also regional creative opportunity. 

What Happens Next? 

With the consultation now closed, the Government will review the responses it has received before setting out its finalised future plans. We expect the Government to publish its conclusions in a White Paper towards the end of this year. 

Many of the issues raised in this consultation, including the future of public service media, also overlap with the Government’s ongoing BBC Charter Review. While they are separate processes, there is significant overlap between them and, taken together, they represent a major moment for broadcasting policy.  

Directors UK will continue to engage with the Government and policymakers to ensure directors' interests are represented as these discussions progress.