The BBC, Channel 4, and the risk of giving too much to YouTube

• As YouTube has skyrocketed in popularity, it has become an unexpected challenge for the UK's public service broadcasters
• These broadcasters are also facing challenges from streaming services, which can afford bigger budget productions and big-name talent 
• MIDiA explores how public service broadcasters can avoid pitfalls and survive in an evolving television landscape

The BBC, Channel 4, and ITV have made some great strides adapting to a world where YouTube is becoming front and centre of TV viewing. But there are concerns about where this is heading for public service broadcasters (PSB). Of course, it is important to go where the audiences are. It is not just younger consumers who are on YouTube – consumers of all ages use the platform. So, posting TV shows and movies to hook those audiences and reel them back to the PSB platforms is a worthwhile pursuit if it bumps up engagement.

However, YouTube is a powerful platform with its own rules. And playing by those rules is very important for getting seen and building an audience. Creators often come to social platforms with a dream of bringing their passions to a wider audience. That works out for some, but not for all. Some complain that in order to get engagement they end up creating less of what they want, in favour of more of want the platform wants. Put simply, they have to fall in line with what works for the algorithm. This is not great for those wanting to push the boundaries of creative freedom while making a living from content creation. Of course, there will be those who say “great content always finds an audience” – but, in this hyper competitive attention economy, that is no longer guaranteed.  

How can public service broadcasters live in a YouTube world?

PSBs should approach YouTube with caution. These are powerful institutions set up to champion British culture and storytelling. Part of their power has been the freedom to take risks by telling important stories about society that may not deliver blockbuster numbers or global appeal. This model worked because distribution visibility was guaranteed through prominence on TV channel guides. In other words, their channels were always easy to find. 

But how does this model sit in a YouTube world? PSBs may secure prominence on the channel carousel on an aggregation service like YouTube PrimeTime channels. However, if the YouTube algorithm becomes even more important to how PSBs operate, then they may also be tempted by the same algorithm trap. They may have to sacrifice taking risks in favour of pursuing more algorithm-friendly content that is capable of finding a global appeal.

Wolf Hall and the UK TV production headwinds

This comes as PSBs are already being buffeted by economic headwinds. Acclaimed director Peter Kosminsky flagged earlier this month that many of the outdoor scenes for series two of BBC’s Wolf Hall had to be cut because of spiralling production costs (per BBC News). These costs are being inflated in part by the demand for talent and studio space by US streaming services making exclusive content. With these costs showing little sign of abating, PSBs will find it harder to make shows. They will have to turn down projects, rely on more back catalogue content or seek out more co-production deals with US streamers who can help shoulder the costs. These co-pro deals have led to high quality TV shows that have worked well for both parties. But if PSBs have less money to bring to the table, the US streamers will be the ones calling the shots.

Such is the issue that Kominsky believes neither the BBC nor ITV could have afforded to make the hit show Adolescence, a Netflix original about a teenager in the north of England accused of murder. That raises the question: why does it matter if PSBs make a show like Adolescence when the likes of Netflix will?

Netflix and other US streamers do make significant investment in UK and other localised content, and they are a huge economic driver for the British TV and movie production sector. However, their priorities will never be the same as PSBs. Netflix is still serving a global audience first and British one second. The PSB approach is the exact opposite. Their commissioning strategies are not the same. There will be talent that PSBs will take a risk on that Netflix never would. The trouble that PSBs face is that while they can unearth and champion emerging talent, they struggle to hold onto it once established.  

These concerns are not just a British problem, but an issue for any country wishing to foster their production sector and tell nationally important stories. Kominsky has argued for a tax on global streaming services to help fund British-made content. However, any such solution must take a multi-faceted approach that also considers how the distribution landscape is edging towards a YouTube-centric world.

A balance must be struck: PSBs cannot be wrapped in cotton wool, but they must also be given a strong enough foundation to tell British stories without fear of failure. That fear is what could push PSBs towards dumbing down their commissioning strategies towards algorithm-friendly content that can bring in the clicks but does not move the cultural dial.