BBC, RAI AND OTT PLATFORMS. THE BATTLE TO KEEP AUDIENCES BY REINVENTING THEMSELVES

Sara De Marco published a reflection on BBC’s new direction. “Opening roads, creating paths, unlocking possibilities.” That formula strikes me as very effective. It captures the direction British public broadcasting is trying to take.

The idea of rebuilding iPlayer around a public service algorithm is perhaps the most interesting aspect. Open to independent creators. Capable of distributing content based on BBC values rather than just engagement rates.

It means trying to build a system less dependent on pure commercial logic. More aligned with an editorial and public function. Of course, even a public broadcaster must deal with economic sustainability, advertising, sponsors, and the market. Somehow, the ship has to stay afloat.

But that’s exactly where the difference can lie. BBC shouldn’t imitate YouTube or other platforms. It must stay BBC. The same goes for Rai.

There’s another aspect I consider strategic. Building proprietary algorithms capable not only of enhancing content, but also of bringing audiences back to the source. Creating a counter-force to the algorithms of major platforms, which are designed to keep users trapped in their own ecosystems.

In an increasingly homogenized, mechanical system built on engagement, ethics can become an attraction in itself. Being recognizable, consistent, and credible could become not a limitation, but a new form of editorial strength.

BBC deserves credit for embarking on a very interesting evolutionary path. One consistent with its identity and public service mission.

As an Italian, though, the question comes naturally. Rai already has RaiPlay. It possesses an enormous content library built over decades of history. From the Rai Archives to contemporary productions. It starts from a structure and archive that many others are still building or rethinking. When will it decide to fully develop all this potential?