Since the early 2010s, streaming services have steadily captured viewers’ attention. In Poland, 75% of internet users say they watch VoD content, and nearly one in three pays for streaming platforms, according to research by the National Media Institute. Streaming is also gaining ground on television screens: in January 2025, its share of total TV viewership climbed to a record 9.7%, up from 7.6% a year earlier – the sharpest increase ever recorded by Nielsen’s The Gauge, the leading system for measuring linear TV audiences. Watching “whatever you want, whenever you want” is no longer a luxury; it has become the default.
Faced with this shift, public broadcasters have begun adopting strategies popularized by Netflix and Max, including proprietary VoD platforms, on-demand premieres, and recommendation algorithms. But simply launching a streaming service is no longer enough. The real challenge lies in transforming entire media organizations into agile digital institutions – from IT infrastructure and content production to workplace culture and the way success is measured.
How does this transformation play out in practice? These questions are at the heart of the international research project Public Service Media in an Age of Platforms (PSM-AP). Researchers from the University of Warsaw, working alongside international partners, are comparing public broadcasting strategies in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom. Their analysis goes beyond programming itself, examining personalization systems, content visibility, and the internal barriers that shape the transition to digital media.
How public service media are keeping up with streaming
Launched in 2022 and running through October 2025, the Public Service Media in an Age of Platforms (PSM-AP) project is led by Prof. Catherine Johnson of the University of Leeds. The University of Warsaw team includes researchers from the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies: Prof. Michał Głowacki, Dr. Filip Świtkowski, Prof. Katarzyna Gajlewicz-Korab, and Dr. Jacek Mikucki.
The researchers are examining how public service media organizations – as well as regulators and policymakers – are navigating an increasingly platform-driven media landscape. Their comparative study covers broadcasters in six countries: Belgium (RTBF, VRT), Canada (CBC), Denmark (DR, TV 2), Italy (RAI), Poland (TVP), and the United Kingdom (BBC, Channel 4, ITV).
In February 2025, the team published its first policy brief, Media publiczne w erze streamingu. Praktyki wydawnicze w przestrzeni cyfrowej (Public Media in the Age of Streaming: Digital Publishing Practices). Prepared by researchers from the University of Warsaw, the study analyzes how public broadcasters’ VoD platforms organize and present content, and how effectively they respond to changing audience expectations. Conducted at the end of 2023, the study focused on platform structure and the ways in which content is presented.
Personalization and prominence
Today, offering a VoD service is no longer enough for public broadcasters. What matters most is how the platform selects and presents content to the viewer.
“Changes in the way we consume content force public service media to adapt to new forms of content delivery. In an era of content overproduction, it is essential to focus on aspects such as personalization and content prominence, which have become market standards,” says Dr. Filip Świtkowski.
To see how public service media VoD platforms measure up, researchers created four test accounts on each of the six services they analyzed: three tailored to specific interests (for example, documentaries only) and one neutral profile. After a week of use, they compared the recommendations each account received and examined what appeared at the top of the homepage (also referred as prime space) – the content viewers see immediately after opening the platform.
The results are uneven. BBC iPlayer emerged as the clear leader: its algorithm adapted quickly to user behavior, and recommendations closely matched individual viewing preferences after just a few clicks. At the other end of the spectrum was TVP VOD. Its “Recommended for You” section looked almost identical across all accounts, including the unused test profile. Researchers described this as “false personalization” – the appearance of customization without meaningful adaptation to the user. Such limited personalization weakens audience engagement and makes platforms less compelling to return to.
The study also revealed differences in how broadcasters connect their streaming services with traditional television programming. In Poland, TVP’s VoD platform primarily highlighted entertainment and light-hearted series, while its prime-time linear schedule continued to focus on news and current affairs. According to the researchers, this suggests the broadcaster is targeting a separate, younger streaming audience instead of creating stronger links between its digital and traditional offerings.
Denmark, by contrast, stands out as an example of successful digital transformation. Public broadcasters DR and TV 2 adopted a “digital-first” strategy, treating VoD not as an additional service but as a central way of reaching audiences. At the same time, they have not abandoned traditional viewers. Their platforms strongly promote local content – from news programming to entertainment formats – which remains particularly popular among younger audiences. The Danish case shows that a strong national identity and locally rooted content can become a major advantage in competing with global streaming platforms.
Can public service media compete with Netflix?
So what stands in the way of public service media adapting to the streaming era – and where do the biggest opportunities lie? According to the researchers, one of the main challenges is limited institutional flexibility.
“Based on our research, there is a significant gap between the adaptive capabilities of public service media organizations and those of commercial entities. Restrictions stemming from national regulations, as well as obligations imposed on public service media – although socially important, such as transparency in public spending – make it more difficult for them to adapt flexibly to rapidly changing technological conditions,” explains Dr. Świtkowski.
Technology, however, is only part of the story. The researchers also found that organizational culture itself can slow down transformation. Interviews with middle and senior managers revealed that resistance to change remains a significant issue within many public service media institutions.
“The human factor is extremely important in the process of creating and implementing new technological solutions. During interviews with middle and senior management staff in public service media organizations, some pointed to fear of change as a factor discouraging employees from engaging in institutional development. This kind of attachment to outdated procedures and solutions provides psychological comfort and security, especially during periods of politically driven personnel and organizational turbulence,” adds the researcher.
In response, the PSM-AP team has developed a series of recommendations aimed not only at broadcasters themselves but also at regulators and policymakers shaping the future of public service media.
One key priority is improving personalization. Researchers argue that public broadcasters need more advanced recommendation systems based on algorithms and artificial intelligence in order to better tailor content to different audience groups. At the same time, they warn against excessive personalization, which can create information bubbles and deepen social polarization.
Another recommendation is for public service media to develop distinct publishing strategies instead of simply mimicking commercial streaming platforms. Preserving genre diversity and promoting domestic productions should remain central goals – especially since local content often struggles for prominence within global recommendation systems.
Transparency is another major issue. Researchers note that there is still limited public information about how broadcasters shape and prioritize content on their digital platforms. They also point to the lack of comprehensive VoD archiving systems, which poses a serious challenge for preserving cultural heritage in the digital age.
Can public service media still compete in a platform-dominated world? Dr. Świtkowski remains cautiously optimistic.
“Public service media are capable of competing with commercial streaming platforms. In many countries, their advantage is already visible – for example, in Denmark. In the UK, BBC iPlayer is experiencing record growth and even outperforming Netflix in some areas. However, many factors determine whether a public broadcaster can become a genuine alternative: brand recognition, the quality and diversity of its offerings, technological resources, and social trust,” he explains.
Staying relevant in the era of platforms
The rise of streaming platforms is more than just a technological shift – it is changing the way public service media think about audiences, content, and their role in society. Some broadcasters have embraced digital transformation with confidence, while others are still struggling to adapt, constrained by rigid structures, outdated regulations, or resistance to change within their own organizations.
The PSM-AP team’s research suggests that the future of public service media will depend on their ability to combine trusted journalism, local culture, and modern distribution tools. The goal is not simply to compete with Netflix, but to build a distinct and recognizable presence in the digital space – one that speaks both to younger, mobile-first audiences and to viewers who still turn on traditional television every evening.
To remain relevant, public service media must do more than expand into new platforms. They need to understand the logic that shapes them: algorithms, viewing habits, and rapidly evolving audience expectations. Only then can they continue to fulfill their core mission – to inform, educate, and connect audiences in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
Read more:
- Final Report: Challenges and Recommendations for the Future
- Policy Brief: Adapting Public Service Media for the Age of Platforms
The text was originally published in Polish on the Serwis Naukowy UW website on July 14, 2025. It was updated in May 2026.
