Britain can switch off terrestrial TV in the 2030s, new report from Sky claims

UK pay TV broadcaster Sky has published a new report which suggests the UK can fully commit to internet-delivered TV in the 2030s, allowing traditional terrestrial distribution to be discontinued.

Nick Herm

The document, titled Stream On: The Future of UK TV, is based on independent research by Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates, which polled 1,000 UK television viewers.

It concludes that every UK household could have access to internet-delivered TV by the mid-2030s – with only around 330,000 (2.2%) of households left to make the transition – if the Labour government sets a clear timetable and invests in targeted help for those most at risk of digital exclusion.

Stream On found most viewers have already made the switch to digital, with 94% of UK adults already connected to the internet at home and 92% using a VoD service.

Audiences, including older viewers, are said to be enthusiastic about connected TV, with 93% finding its features useful, rising to 99% among those aged 70 and above.

Consumers polled would also prefer the government to focus on digital inclusion, including skills and affordability, than maintaining a legacy broadcast system.

The Sky report comes as the government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and UK media regulator Ofcom consider options for the future of TV distribution during the 2030s.

Nick Herm, group chief operating officer at Sky, said: “This research shows that modern TV and social inclusion can go hand in hand. A full move to internet-delivered TV in the 2030s is achievable – and it can help close the digital divide rather than deepen it.

“With most people already streaming, an investment from the government in skills and affordable connectivity for the relatively small number of households who still need help to get online will have benefits far beyond TV, while saving hundreds of millions on maintaining legacy systems.”