Public service broadcasting coming to an end?

The results of an extensive report by the communications regulator, Ofcom, looks as if it may have hammered the final nail in the coffin of public service broadcasting.

Yet what may have seemed to have been a bad decision has actually given the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster ITV a boost, as their shares rose by 45p to £3.25p following the announcement.

Ofcom claims that if the current level of regional, children’s and religious programming is maintained, the industry will need to find an additional £235 million by 2012.

Already ITV Wales has seen its programming cut in half. This is said to be due to the lack of advertising revenues, but following the Ofcom report this is going to be a matter of course as ITV begins to look for cuts in order to save costs.