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Too many people still lack the digital skills, access or means to engage safely and confidently online, so where does public service media fit into the digital inclusion puzzle? Digital inclusion is not a challenge that can be left at the margins. The internet shapes how we learn, work and connect, while digital skills determine who can participate in today’s digital society and access opportunities. But as our digital dependence grows, the gap between those included and excluded continues to increase.

In the UK, over 8.5 million people lack basic digital skills, while 1.6 million people remain largely offline altogether.Nearly one in ten households struggle to pay for mobile data and a further 8% for broadband, while 14% of young people aged 8 to 25 lack access to a suitable device for learning at home.

The government’s recent Digital Inclusion Action Plan sets out a collaborative approach to tackling the challenge - solving it requires input from all corners of society, including governments, businesses, civil society and beyond.

Public service media organisations play an important role in tackling digital exclusion in a changing landscape. As we transition towards a digital-first approach, public service media need to ensure audiences can find and access PSM content among the growing volume of commercial offerings.

Access to internet-first TV is not the end of the story. Building on their reputations, networks, and status, public service media can also contribute to raising digital skills and literacy across the UK.

Addressing the challenges of digital inclusion is complex and needs collective ownership

When it comes to addressing digital inclusion, there is no simple blueprint. The challenge is broad and multi-dimensional.

First, digital inclusion is a complex problem - we can’t reduce it to a single definition or solution and how we understand what it means has evolved. While our understanding of digital inclusion was initially focused on access to and affordability of technology, it has expanded to also include digital skills and confidence using technology.

Second, there are multiple ways to measure digital inclusion. Statistics on connectivity, device ownership, or levels of digital literacy each explain a singular element of digital inclusion. New methods like the  seek to paint a more holistic picture of the challenge by looking at the minimum digital goods, services, and skills needed to participate in the digital world.

Additionally, the root causes of digital exclusion are deeply connected to wider social issues such as poverty, education, health, and housing. Barriers to digital participation are rarely just technical;  meaning digital exclusion can both reflect and reinforce inequalities already present in society. To complicate matters further, we still don’t fully understand all of the impacts of digital exclusion, even as reliance on digital life deepens.

Finally, these challenges are not static. As technologies evolve - from online forums to social media to generative AI - they create new digital divisions just as old ones cease.

The complexity of digital inclusion creates a dangerous gap, where something that is everyone's responsibility becomes no one's responsibility. Digital exclusion demands collective ownership, with every stakeholder - from governments and charities to businesses and public service media - playing their part in creating a genuinely inclusive digital society.

What role could public service media play to solve the digital inclusion puzzle?

The transition to a digital-first strategy poses multifaceted challenges for public service media, which, if not addressed, challenge a long-held connection with audiences. While a core focus of the move from broadcast to internet-first TV is a critical part of the digital inclusion puzzle, it is only one piece. Without tackling the broad barriers to full digital inclusion, public service media risks losing key parts of its audience and not fulfilling its promise of providing value for all.

Public service media needs a bold vision for its role in supporting digital inclusion. One that addresses interconnected challenges spanning access, data, and inclusive spaces online through to the digital competencies and skills people need to engage safely and confidently online.

The Â鶹Éç, and public service media more broadly, are part of a wider ecosystem of actors working to tackle digital exclusion. PSM can play a unique role, thanks to their deep commitment to and unique bond with audiences, that empowers them to speak with a public voice that others do not have.

How can targeted research help address these challenges?

Research in a set of key areas can help public service media grapple with such a complicated issue. We’ve identified a critical research agenda to and to support them in building a practical roadmap towards these aims.

• Build a shared understanding of digital inclusion encapsulating both how we define and measure it, to support a robust digital inclusion strategy.

• Create a more detailed picture of how to tackle digital inclusion in a public service media context by mapping the landscape of digital inclusion work and drawing lessons from it.

• Prepare public service media for future digital exclusion challenges by exploring the potential impact of future technology developments.

So, what’s next?

Digital inclusion is a challenge that will continue to evolve and need ongoing attention, and we hope our work can support policymakers and practitioners to help more people use the benefits of technology safely and confidently.

In the coming months we will explore these challenges further, working collaboratively with the Â鶹Éç and partners on our research agenda.