The U.K. government is moving ahead with secondary legislation under the Media Act 2024 that will bring the largest streaming platforms under enhanced oversight from Ofcom. Any video on demand service with more than 500,000 U.K. users, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, ITVX and Channel 4’s on demand service, will be designated a Tier 1 service and required to comply with a new VOD Standards Code similar to the Broadcasting Code that governs traditional television.
The new code will require streamers to meet standards on accuracy and impartiality in news programming and to protect audiences from harmful or offensive material. Ofcom will have the authority to accept viewer complaints, investigate potential breaches and take enforcement action where necessary. Until now, many of the largest global streaming services were not regulated to the same standard as licensed broadcasters operating in the U.K., and in some cases were not regulated domestically at all. This legislation closes that gap and aligns regulatory expectations across television and TV-like services.
The government is also introducing a new accessibility code that imposes minimum thresholds across streaming catalogues. At least 80% of total catalogues must be subtitled, 10% must include audio description, and 5% must be signed. For global platforms managing extensive libraries across multiple territories, these requirements will require operational investment and workflow adjustments. Broadcasters have carried similar obligations for years, so this move effectively removes a longstanding competitive asymmetry.
The policy shift reflects fundamental changes in viewing behavior. Around two-thirds of U.K. households subscribe to at least one of Netflix, Prime Video or Disney+. 85% of people use an on-demand service each month, compared with 67% who watch live television. Barb data shows that live TV viewing declined from 60% of total viewing in 2022 to 45% in 2025. One third of TV sessions now begin on a streaming platform or YouTube, roughly equal to traditional broadcasters. When consumption reaches this scale, regulators no longer treat streaming as an adjacent category. It becomes part of the core television ecosystem.
Video sharing platforms such as YouTube are not covered by the new VOD standards code and remain regulated under the Online Safety Act 2023. That distinction reinforces the U.K.’s view that long-form, television-like services warrant a different regulatory framework than open video platforms, even as audience behaviour increasingly blurs those boundaries.
From a business standpoint, the direction is clear. Streaming has entered the regulatory mainstream in the U.K. Compliance costs will increase as platforms formalize editorial oversight structures, accessibility investments and complaint handling systems. For multinational services, this adds another layer of market-specific regulation in an already fragmented global landscape. Ofcom will begin a public consultation on both the VOD Standards Code and the Accessibility Code, giving industry participants an opportunity to shape implementation details. The broader signal is unmistakable. In the U.K., streaming is now being regulated as television.
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