Silver Voices have produced a report about the need to protect universal broadcast services for television and radio. Download Here.
“Silver Voices is a web-based membership organisation for the over sixties who want a platform for campaigning on current issues; enabling their views to be channelled to the political parties and so influence national and local policies.”
The report is well worth reading and exploring. The report states:
“We now find ourselves at a crossroads where the principle of universality that underpins these services could be threatened. Rather than just a technical issue of policy, this research shows that it is an issue that deserves much greater public attention. In fact, the greatest risk of all is that decisions about the future of these broadcast services are made without proper consideration of the voices of diverse listeners and viewers.”
And adds:
“The key to universal access is in offering not only content to a variety of audiences, but ensuring technology is accessible to all individuals no matter their technical ability or mobility. In other words, the simpler, the better for everyone.”
What do we, as Better Media, see as the needs and priorities for universal broadcast services? At a time when personalised social media is wreaking havoc, and news institutions are being tested like never before, what is the benefit of maintaining broadcast services that utilise legacy platforms, such as television and radio?