, which should come into law later this year barring any more swift changes of government . Most of the Bill is comprised of policies contained in a landmark White Paper from last year but they are eye-catching: regulation of streamers that could see Netflix et al fined £250,000 if they break harmful material rules or fail to subtitle their shows, prominence for the pubcasters on modern TVs and relaxed quotas for the likes of the, ITV and Channel 4.
Following years of lobbying, the streamers active in the UK will now have to abide by the same rules as the local broadcasters in terms of harmful material, all of which will be governed by media regulator Ofcom. Lobbyists have argued for some time that these deep-pocketed U.S. giants take advantage of the UK’s thriving skills sector, tax breaks and talent, and there is therefore no reason why Ofcom shouldn’t slap them on the wrist for misbehaving.