The UK's free TV services are under threat, but broadcasters are fighting back

Freeview has dominated the UK's terrestrial TV services since the digital TV switchover 13 years ago – longer, in fact. But it's never been as much under threat as it is now.

Not only have paid TV services, such as Sky and Virgin Media, convinced many viewers to ditch the aerial, online streaming services – including the free-to-air Freely – have arrived to offer an alternative, internet-connected future for British broadcasting.

It has lead some, including the former director-general of the BBC, Tim Davie, to point to an additional TV switchover in the coming decade – where over-the-air broadcasts make way for online-only.

However, not everyone is happy about it. The Broadcast 2040+ campaign is growing in number, with networks and broadcasters joining the fight to keep free-to-air TV and radio distribution available to all UK households.

As reported by RXTV, The Great Network, which operates four channels, including Great TV and Great Action, has joined the coalition. It wants TV to be for all viewers, not just those with good broadband connections:

"TV plays such an important role in everyday life. It’s company, it’s nostalgia, it’s comic relief. And it’s vital that we don’t jeopardise that," said the network's managing director, Kate Gartland.

"This isn’t about being scared of technology changes – we know our audiences well, and we know that they’re very comfortable with tech. But that doesn’t mean that they all have the latest TV, a reliable high-speed internet connection, and the means to suddenly begin paying for something they’ve known and loved, free, their entire lives.

"We want to see terrestrial TV backed for as long as possible."

Other backers of the Broadcast 2040+ campaign include Age UK and the Digital Poverty Alliance.

It is estimated that 93% of Brits over the age of 55 continue to watch broadcast TV every week, and while that can continue with the likes of Freely providing similar channel lineups for free, Great and its partners believe that switching over to a broadband-provided alternative might introduce a barrier to some.