Equity has responded to the BBC’s announcement that it will be closing linear broadcast services for Radio 4 Extra, BBC Three, and BBC Scotland from April 2027.
An Equity spokesperson said:
“Today’s news, that Radio 4 Extra, BBC Three, and BBC Scotland are to stop as linear services, will have varying impacts for Equity members and, of course, audiences across the UK.
“The loss of Radio 4 Extra in its current format will be a significant blow to the income of audio artists. The channel currently airs archival programmes and our members are paid for these repeats. But from April 2027, only some of Radio 4 Extra’s content will be available on BBC Sounds. This will be therefore be a reduction in income for audio artists and in the BBC’s overall output of scripted audio.
“Meanwhile, moving BBC Three and BBC Scotland online should not affect income for our members, as Equity has agreements which cover usage rights and fees for broadcasting content across both online and linear channels. We have also had assurances that commissioning will not decrease as a result of these moves.
“However, the BBC is proposing that some BBC Three content will be made specifically for YouTube. It is currently unclear how secondary payments will function for work that airs initially on linear broadcast or iPlayer, then is repeated on YouTube – but Equity is clear that any repeats on YouTube must be properly remunerated and must not lead to a drop in income for members.
“Overall, today’s announcement does not signal a thriving BBC, and we are concerned about the UK’s preeminent public service broadcaster’s ability to meet its duties to the fullest.
“But it doesn’t have to be this way. The BBC Charter, which sets out the BBC’s objectives and purposes, is currently in the process of being renewed. Equity has put forward a bold vision for a properly funded BBC, which will in turn contribute to growth in the economy through the creation of jobs and cultural infrastructure throughout the UK. This is an exceptional opportunity to refound the BBC and the union will continue lobbying decision-makers to back our vision for a truly revitalised public service broadcaster.”
You can read Equity’s submission for the BBC’s Charter Renewal here.
Our vision for a revitalised BBC
We are proposing a refounding of the BBC by three means : democratisation, regionalisation and cooperatisation.
