Channel 4's David Abraham lit the touch paper in his MacTaggart lecture earlier this year, warning that the foundations of the PSB system need to be reset in the light of international consolidation. Does UK TV Plc need new rules to make sure it prospers?

Both ITV and Channel 5 have since joined Abraham's call for pay TV operations to pay PSBs retransmission fees for their principal TV channels. Both Sky and Virgin Media disagree, strongly.

The new culture secretary Sajid Javid told the RTS International conference in October it was right to look at retransmission fees- but only in conjunction with the benefits the PSBs receive, such as prominence on every TV.

So with the dust yet to settle on the acquisition of All3Media by Discovery and Liberty Global, the owner of Virgin Media, where are we with the debate? Is the UK so different from the USA where they already impose retransmission fees? Will the proposed fees support investment in UK content or in the case of ITV and Channel 5, could they be used to enrich shareholders? Is the UK PSB model still fit for purpose?

 Speakers

• Chair: Kate Bulkley, Media Commentator and Journalist
• David Abraham, Chief Executive, Channel 4
• Tom Mockridge, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Media

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Tickets for RTS Members are complimentary. Non-RTS member tickets are £12.50. Tickets are non-refundable

You can now book online here

Booking Instructions

Tickets for RTS Members are complimentary. Non-RTS member tickets are £12.50. Tickets are non-refundable

You can now book online here