The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are said to be pushing back on calls to delay the switch-off of terrestrial TV, despite fears the shift to streaming could isolate older people.
The company and other public broadcasters are in discussions with the government about when streaming will completely replace traditional TV signals.
The current policy only guarantees the ability to broadcast TV and radio via an antenna for a period of less than ten years until 2034, but there is discussion about an extension of this.
The calls are led by telecommunications company Arqiva, which started the Broadcast 2040+ campaign in 2022, with the aim of securing the service until 2040 and beyond.
Arqiva owns the UK TV masts and therefore has a clear commercial interest in an expansion, but groups representing older and vulnerable viewers are also concerned.
The campaign is being run in partnership with organizations including Age UK, Silver Voices, the Rural Services Network and the Voice of Listener and Viewer (VLV).
But major broadcasters are said to be opposing the calls due to high operating costs for aging and energy-intensive signals as viewership declines, The Telegraph reported.
The BBC is trying to save millions amid cuts, while it has also invested heavily in streaming platforms to attract younger viewers – as have ITV and Channel 4.
The BBC is in talks with the government about when streaming will replace traditional TV signals
The broadcasters wrote in a contribution to the government last year: 'Great Britain's unique public broadcaster [PSB] ecosystem – which creates a virtuous circle of demand from the British public for investment in British content – relies on affordable, universal distribution.
'This risks being seriously undermined if PSBs are forced to maintain legacy networks for longer than they are viable, or if their content is only available through 'gatekept' global platforms.'
But Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices, said it was “disgraceful” that the BBC “appears to be leading the campaign to move away from terrestrial TV as quickly as possible”.
He told MailOnline: 'Millions of older people depend on terrestrial broadcasting for both entertainment and knowledge, and the BBC should put its foot down to protect universal access to TV.
'The BBC has already shown its age-sensitive attitude to customers by abolishing the free TV license for over-75s and concentrating its production on younger audiences.
'Now it appears Labor wants to break assurances from successive governments about the future of terrestrial broadcasting.'
Shift from terrestrial TV to streaming could isolate elderly people, it is claimed (stock image)
He said his campaign group will argue that “high quality terrestrial TV should be maintained until at least 2040; and not some stupid backup version'.
VLV chairman Colin Browne told MailOnline: 'We believe it is essential that everyone in the UK continues to have access to public broadcaster services on a universal basis, without having to pay more for them.
Media Minister Stephanie Peacock launched a stakeholder forum 'The Future of TV Distribution' last November
'There should be no question of switching off digital terrestrial services before that is possible. The VLV is part of the forum set up by the government to discuss these issues and make recommendations.”
Some critics claim that Arqiva is acting in self-interest, as their broadcasting contract with the BBC expires in 2031 and with ITV and Channel 4 in 2034.
But an Arqiva spokesperson told MailOnline today: 'A free-to-air, highly reliable network that reaches more than 98 percent of the population with public broadcasting, terrestrial TV is a lifeline for millions of people and a cornerstone of our national resilience. .
“Arqiva is proud to work with groups that represent the many millions of people who depend on it. This includes voices standing up for the elderly, those facing digital poverty and those in remote rural areas – all of whom would be severely affected if terrestrial TV were switched off.
'A hybrid future for UK broadcasting, offering terrestrial TV alongside streaming services, will continue to give viewers the best of both worlds.'
A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: 'While more and more people are watching TV online, which offers more choice, higher quality and better services, including for vulnerable audiences, not everyone does so – and our priority is to ensure no one is left behind as digital changes take place.
In 2022, telecommunications company Arqiva started the Broadcast 2040+ campaign (photo)
'We are part of the Government's working group on this issue – with organizations from the TV sector, infrastructure and audiences – to ensure that no 'switchover' takes place until the right conditions are created and it is absolutely right to to do that. '
Media Minister Stephanie Peacock launched a stakeholder forum 'The Future of TV Distribution' last November, bringing together organizations and individuals from the TV industry, as well as infrastructure partners, audience groups, the regulator and government.
And a spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport told MailOnline today: 'We want to ensure no one is left behind as TV viewing increasingly shifts to online platforms.
'That's why the Government is currently working with the TV industry and other key industry players to deliver a sustainable, long-term approach to TV distribution in Britain for years to come.
'This includes a decision on whether the current commitment to keep Freeview on air should be further extended until at least 2034.'
ITV and Channel 4 both declined to comment to MailOnline.
