Statement published 16 October 2025
Production quota obligations support and safeguard the provision of new, UK public service media content. The public service broadcasters (‘PSBs’) each have quotas for original, regional and independent production.
The Media Act updated the quota framework allowing PSBs, for the first time, to have the flexibility to use their on-demand services to meet their quota obligations. Following consultation, we have outlined our approach for implementing the changes to the regulatory framework, which includes:
- Converting quota proportions to absolute hours and spend to ensure they are clear and readily applied to on-demand services;
- The levels of original production and regional production quotas; and
- Implementing the revised quota levels for independent productions, which the Government recently published.
The changes introduced by the Media Act also require us to publish guidance on which programmes can count towards the original productions quota, and to amend our guidance on regional productions.
These changes relate to Channels 3, 4 and 5, S4C and where relevant, the BBC.
Main documents
Responses
This consultation contained an error in the description of the types of programming that are currently excluded from regional production quotas, with respect to advertising minutage and trailers. This error appeared in paragraph 5.16 of the consultation document, and paragraph 2.12 of the draft Regional Production and Programming Guidance.
5.16 of the consultation document should now read as follows:
Regional production quotas currently exclude certain types of programming: acquisitions, repeats, news programming, home shopping programming, closedown time, and self-promotional material.
2.12 of the draft regional production guidance should now read as follows:
Repeats, acquired programming, home shopping programming, closedown time, and self-promotional material cannot count towards fulfilment of a broadcaster’s regional production quota.
We have corrected these paragraphs in the consultation and draft guidance available on the links above.
Contact information
Content Policy Team
Ofcom
Riverside House
2A Southwark Bridge Road
London SE1 9HA