Theme: Society & Culture | Content Type: Journal article

Universality: A Battleground for UK Public Service Media in the Platform Age

Catherine Johnson and Dan Martin

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Michel Franczak

| 1 min read

This article examines how UK policy makers are redefining the value of universality in the transition from public service broadcasting (PSB) to public service media (PSM). Over the past decade, the UK’s media landscape has undergone a significant transformation, driven by the economic, infrastructural and social influence exerted by global platforms. These transforming conditions have profoundly complicated the relationship between PSM and the principle of universality—in particular, the core values of universal access and universal appeal—with potential consequences for the broader legitimacy of the future public service mission. In an age of apparent media abundance, the question of how PSM can effectively reach and engage its audience remains a persistent inquiry. Presenting findings from an analysis of key and contemporary media policy and regulatory documents, this article demonstrates how universality has become a key battleground in current debates around the future of PSM.

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    Catherine Johnson

    Catherine Johnson is a Professor of Media and Communication and Director of Impact for the School of Media and Communication at the University of Leeds.

    Articles by Catherine Johnson
  • oGjGXoQb_400x400.jpg

    Dan Martin

    Dan Martin is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Leeds.

    Articles by Dan Martin
Volume 97,  Issue 1

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Volume 97, Issue 1

Contains a collection on the politics and policy of housing, edited by Christine Whitehead, Colm Murphy and Deborah Mabbett. This collection features contributors from geography, economics and politics, and from universities, think tanks, and independent academics. Contributors debate the roots of the housing crisis and illuminate housing policy dilemmas in the UK and elsewhere. Other articles in the issue include 'What Will it Take for a Woman to Become President of the United States?' by Rosie Campbell and Joni Lovenduski, and 'Unity and Division in the Public's Policy Preferences After the 2024 General Election' by Lotte Hargrave. In our Reports section, Darcy Luke and Nathan Critch explain what's wrong with Demos's report 'The Human Handbrake'. Finally, book reviews include Tim Bale's analysis of Conservatism, Christian Democracy, and the Dynamics of Transformation, edited by Gary Love and Christian Egander Skov.

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