BBC must be an 'antidote to the algorithm,' says BBC boss Matt Brittin
Image credits Adrian Pennington
The BBC faces a "moment of real jeopardy" as it navigates unprecedented technological, financial and societal change, according to Director General Matt Brittin.
Speaking at the RTS London Convention, Brittin argued that while the BBC remains one of the world's most trusted media institutions, the broadcaster must adapt rapidly to a media landscape defined by infinite choice, AI, and declining trust.
“Half a billion people turn to the BBC every week," he said. "Seventy-five per cent of them are in countries with low levels of press freedom. Trust is all we've got.”
The former Google executive, who spent a decade leading the company's European operations before taking the BBC's top job, acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing both the Corporation and the wider industry.
"There is infinite choice and scarce trust," he said. "Everyone now has the ability to create content at a standard that would have required a Hollywood studio only a few years ago.
“We are polarising as a society. People feel disconnected and that's very problematic both geopolitically and domestically in the UK. PSBs have the opportunity to address some of that, to bring people together, to show us who we are and to show the world is our family.”
Reinventing public service broadcasting
Alongside national moments such as Planet Earth, major sporting events and state occasions, Brittin highlighted local journalism, children's programming, and trusted news as services that are increasingly difficult for commercial markets alone to sustain.
"If we reinvented public service broadcasting today, what would we do?" he asked. "One of the questions is: what is it that only the BBC should be doing?"
At the same time, Brittin suggested the Corporation must embrace new forms of distribution and rethink how audiences discover content.
He called for a more open approach to partnerships, arguing that the BBC should be present wherever audiences consume media, from YouTube and TikTok to emerging digital platforms.
“BBC News is a disinfectant for misinformation. We should be everywhere people are getting their news. If we're funded by the public, we should be available wherever the public is."
Countering fiscal challenges
The BBC is facing significant internal pressures, including plans to deliver around £500m ($583m) of savings. BBC licence fee income has fallen by approximately £1.3 billion ($1.7bn) over the past decade in real terms, equivalent to around a quarter of the broadcaster's funding. About 60% of that decline stems from licence fee freezes, with the remaining 40% attributable to fewer households paying the licence fee.
Those pressures have already resulted in a series of cost-saving measures, including £80 million ($93m) of savings to BBC Media Tech, the division that powers the UK broadcaster’s online services like iPlayer.
"We wouldn't guarantee any programme, channel or service can exist forever," he said. "The financial situation means we're having to look at some of those decisions a bit sooner than we might like.”
Facing a streaming-only future
Uncertainty hangs over the next Charter settlement, the pact with the state that has seen public service broadcasters in the UK financed by a mandatory licence fee since 1946.
As part of that funding, PSBs must deliver certain types of programming, such as education, and reach all UK audiences. The current Charter fund expires at the end of 2027.
“We are having to make half a billion pounds of savings and we don't yet know what our future [financial agreement] will be,” he said. “The way the BBC is currently funded by the licence fee is a busted flush. We need a new mechanism if we're going to have the sort of scale of Public Service media that we've had in the past.”
This appears to include ending support for digital terrestrial coverage – and by extension the infrastructure provider Arqiva - in 2034 to concentrate on a streaming-only BBC service.
“If you look at on-demand consumption versus live broadcast the balance is starting to get to the point where you have to ask is [DTT] the best way to spend the licence fee.”
Among his strongest messages was the need for the BBC to differentiate itself from commercially driven platforms.
"I'd like us to be the place where the algorithm works for you," he said. "We're there to serve you."
Describing the BBC as an "antidote to the algorithm", Brittin argued that public service media can offer audiences recommendations driven by public value rather than commercial incentives.
“There's an opportunity to be a place where what we recommend is not driven by the commercial interests [of a streamer or social media platform] or their desire to get data that can help them send you the next toilet brush. That’s a great business model and [audiences] have got the choice, but I'd like the BBC to be the place where the algorithm works for you. Someone comes to watch one thing, and we help them discover something they might never otherwise have encountered.”
However he appeared less confident of plans to promote BBC and other PSB content on the UI of YouTube and streamers which is being proposed by the government and has been opposed by digital platforms.
“It's a complicated issue because you can't simply dictate how platforms organise their services,” he said. “But there is a legitimate public policy question around how content that's funded in the public interest remains discoverable.”
AI ready for take off?
He described the industry as being in an "AI take-off" moment.
"There's a danger that six tech companies will control access to information in the future, and the creation of information and misinformation,” he warned.
Brittin even revealed he’d been “sent” a 50-minute episode of Doctor Who generated by AI. The long running BBC IP is currently on pause after a co-production deal with Disney was not renewed.
“It's pretty good,” he said of the AI-generated sci-fi, quickly adding, “I don't think anything we do should be replaced by AI but there are lots of places where AI can help us make the licence fee go further.”
Having wielded the axe to Media Tech the DG is still intent on reinventing iPlayer.
“We're trying to reinvent our apps at some speed. iPlayer was incredible when it launched; it's way off the technology today. That’s no fault of the people working on it but we have to invest in that so we can fulfil our mission in better exposing audiences to this incredible content.”
This strategy may well include folding Channel 4 content into iPlayer. Channel 4 is also a public service broadcaster but relies on relies on advertising for about 90% of its £1bn in revenue. Discussions are underway.
Channel 4 CEO Priya Dogra – also at the Conference – said, “The idea of a platform that showcases PSB content is something we should consider seriously. The question should be what makes sense for audiences and what serves the British public best?”
She highlighted the recently announced partnership with Paramount to represent Channel 5’s £300m-plus TV ad sales business. Channel 4 will also be responsible for promotional slots with brands including MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, but not for ad sales for Paramount+ or Pluto TV.
“I'm proud of that deal. It brings together complementary brands and audiences, solves problems for advertisers and gives all of us greater scale,” Dogra said.
She also ruled out a full scale merger with the BBC. “To me, consolidation often leads to less choice whereas collaboration can actually increase choice because it allows organisations with complementary strengths to work together.
“It's fair to say that I don't want Channel 4 to be taken over by the BBC.”
It is also fair to say that most people in the industry think this merger is inevitable.
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