Tectonic Changes in TV: What's Next for British Television?
Online via Zoom on Wednesday 7th October 2026.
Event Description
British television has been going through the biggest upheaval in a generation – and it's happening on multiple fronts at once.
US media giants are reshaping the landscape: with Sky's acquisition of ITV and Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Both could have major knock-ons for UK commissioning decisions, and the kind of content that gets made here. Meanwhile, the BBC is grappling with funding pressures and cutbacks, and the very future of the licence fee itself is being questioned as part of next year’s Charter Renewal.
At the same time, viewing habits are shifting fast. YouTube has become a rival to traditional broadcasters. Streaming services are pulling audiences away from linear TV. There’s an ongoing debate about how to protect public service broadcasting. And there’ll soon be a government decision on when to switch off Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT).
Individually, any one of these changes would be significant. Together, they raise a much bigger question: what will British television look like in 5 or 10 years' time?
This Media Society online panel discussion brought together broadcasting experts to discuss what's driving these changes and how they will affect viewers and wider society.
Event Panel
Rhodri Talfan Davies, the Deputy Director-General of the BBC
Rhodri Talfan Davies is responsible for the BBC’s editorial strategy and is a member of both the BBC Board and Executive Committee. His role includes driving high standards across all BBC output; and safeguarding the public’s trust in the corporation. He previously led the BBC's Nations division, ran BBC Cymru Wales, and served as interim Director-General in spring 2026. He brings an insider's view of how the UK's national broadcaster plans to reinvent itself for a digital future.
Professor Catherine Johnson
Catherine Johnson is the Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Leeds, with more than twenty years' experience researching television, media policy and public service media. She led Public Service Media in the Age of Platforms, a major European research project on how global streamers are reshaping public broadcasters across seven markets. Her work on how audiences find and watch TV has informed debate on the Media Act and the future of the UK's PSBs.
Mathew Horsman
Mathew Horsman is a leading media analyst and consultant, and the founder of the media consultancy Mediatique. He is a former media editor at The Independent and research director at Investec, and has advised broadcasters, regulators and government on the economics of UK TV. He has written widely on the future of linear and terrestrial television and on how the BBC should be funded and reformed.
The discussion was chaired by Nigel Dacre
Nigel is President of the Media Society and a media executive, writer and journalist. He spent 24 years in TV news at BBC News and ITN, ending up as Editor of ITV News, with responsibility for all of ITV's news programmes, including News at Ten. He is a former chair of Comux UK, and in 2025 was a member of the DCMS Forum on the Future of TV Distribution.
Event Schedule
Zoom starts at 6pm
Discussion ends at 7pm