The BBC Again!

News Letter

HEADLINE: THE BBC AGAIN

The BBC has launched what it calls its biggest-ever public engagement exercise on its future. A bold move? Or a sign of deeper cracks?

This time, it’s asking you—the public, creatives, and industry pros—what the BBC should look like by 2030. But behind the PR push lies something more urgent: the BBC knows it’s at a crossroads. From political pressure to platform erosion, global competition to funding uncertainty, the corporation is grappling with existential questions.

And here’s the kicker: while the BBC asks, Netflix acts, YouTube evolves, and TikTok seduces.

Will consultation turn into transformation—or is this just a polite prelude to more slow decline?

📌 altmedia take:

The BBC isn’t just another broadcaster—it’s a cornerstone of British creative infrastructure. But consultation without courage means little. This “future exercise” is only meaningful if the BBC embraces radical shifts: platform-agnostic commissioning, new distribution models, co-pro deals, and a complete rethink of value delivery in a post-linear world.

📣 Freelancers Have a Real Champion at Last

Action for Freelancers appoints project director – and it’s a brilliant choice

Michelle Woods has been named project director for the Action for Freelancers campaign—and quite honestly, they couldn’t have chosen better. A hugely respected, working producer with serious credentials and credibility across the industry, Michelle is someone who truly understands what freelancers face on the ground.

She’s already working tirelessly behind the scenes, and for the first time in a long time, I have real faith in the AFT project. This isn’t just another initiative—this feels like momentum.

In a time when freelance conditions are worsening, payments delayed, and protections patchy at best, Michelle brings experience, clarity, and above all, a fierce commitment to doing what’s right. We’re in safe hands with a fabulous advocate at the helm.

🎬 altmedia take:

If the BBC story is about reimagining institutions, this one is about protecting the people who keep them running. The freelance workforce has propped up UK media for decades—and it’s high time they had a voice that truly represents them.

Wishing Michelle and the AFT team every success. We’re all rooting for you.

🍏 Even Apple Can Bleed

Reported $1 billion loss shows how fragile media really is

Apple has reportedly taken a $1 billion hit on its streaming operations. Yes—Apple, with all its cash reserves, ecosystem dominance, and global reach. If that doesn’t make you sit up, I don’t know what will.

Apple TV+ entered the market with bold ambition, prestige titles, big-name stars, and a clear strategy to build brand value through storytelling. And yet, despite shows like Ted Lasso, Severance, and a robust Oscar-winning push, it hasn’t cracked profitability. The cost of premium drama, global marketing, and a crowded landscape is proving brutal—even for Cupertino.

💡 So what’s behind the loss?

• Sky-high production budgets: Prestige TV doesn’t come cheap—and Apple’s quality bar is incredibly high.

• Limited content volume: Compared to Netflix or Prime Video, Apple TV+ offers fewer titles. That can limit stickiness for subscribers.

• Bundling strategy: Many subscribers get Apple TV+ as a bundle deal, which skews revenue against costs.

• Intense competition: With so many players in the space, from Disney+ to HBO Max and regional streamers, even great content gets buried.

📉 altmedia take:

If Apple is losing money on content, what hope is there for the rest of us still fighting for attention, funding, and a stable revenue stream?

This isn’t a dip—it’s a reckoning. A reset. The industry is realigning in real time, and the truth is: no one knows where it’s going. Not broadcasters. Not producers. Not platforms. We’re all flying into fog with broken instruments—and the only certainty is that the old models won’t work much longer.

The Apple story isn’t about failure. It’s about the brutal economics of change.

🌏 Asia’s Quiet Streaming Revolution

Rakuten Viki, local dramas, and the global demand for niche

While Western giants struggle with scale, Asia’s streamers are quietly winning hearts—one subtitle at a time. Case in point: Rakuten Viki, a platform quietly dominating the global fan-driven market for Korean, Chinese, and Southeast Asian dramas.

With its community-subtitled content, deep genre focus, and cult-like following, Viki has carved out a space where passion beats volume. And it’s thriving.

📈 In the year following its acquisition by Rakuten, Viki’s monthly active users surged from 22 million to 35 million, with mobile users jumping from 10 million to 25 million. That’s serious growth—off the back of authentic, subtitled content and community engagement.

And it’s not just local: Viki’s list of content partners includes BBC Worldwide, showing how even legacy Western broadcasters are looking to Asian platforms for reach and relevance.

🇰🇷 The K-Wave (Hallyu) hasn’t peaked—it’s evolving. Platforms like Viki understand that future audiences want:

• Authentic stories

• Regional nuance

• Community-driven interaction

• And content that feels different from Western formulas

💡 altmedia take:

As Western giants retrench and rethink, the East continues to rise—slowly, steadily, and strategically. The next great format, IP brand, or global hit may not come from L.A. or London, but from Seoul, Bangkok, or Jakarta.

🚢 Zig Zag, My Dad, and the Long Road Back

A personal reflection on a production company’s return—and an unexpected connection to my past

Zig Zag Productions has had a tough time of it. Like many indies, they were hit hard by the commissioning slowdown and faced insolvency in April 2024, resulting in the closure of their production arm and six redundancies. But unlike some, they’ve found a way back. Sister companies Zig Zag Holdings and Zig Zag Media Rights kept the lights on, and now, with a fresh commission in hand, Zig Zag is back in production.

Their latest project is the feature-length documentary “Playing for Our Future,” premiering on TNT Sports 1 and streaming on Discovery+ from April 1, 2025. A powerful return—and one I’m genuinely thrilled to see.

🔗 On a personal note…

I’ve known Danny Fenton, MD of Zig Zag, for many years. I admire what he’s built and the integrity with which he’s run his business. So yes, I was really upset to hear how badly they’d been hit by the downturn. Hearing they’re back on their feet is genuinely heartening.

But here’s something more unexpected…

Years ago, I had a meeting on their old HQ—HMS President, a former Royal Navy ship moored on the Thames. Very cool venue. But during that meeting, I discovered something that stopped me in my tracks: my father, who died just 12 hours before I was born, had served his national service on that very ship after World War II.

I never knew him. But standing on that deck, knowing he had once walked there too… it was surreal. One of those strange, moving coincidences that stay with you.

So to see Zig Zag, that boat, and that spirit still afloat—it means more than most people would guess.

🎬 altmedia take:

The industry reset isn’t just about numbers. Behind every statistic are people, stories, and legacy. And sometimes—just sometimes—things come full circle.

🧭 That’s a wrap… for now

This week’s stories paint a clear picture: the industry is still mid-reset, and no one—be it Apple, the BBC, or indies like Zig Zag—is immune to the shake-up. But among the chaos, there are green shoots. Fresh commissions, new leadership, and platforms finding unexpected growth in unlikely places.

As always, the shape of the future is still being written—and that’s what makes being in this industry, even now, so compelling.

📥 PS – If you’re navigating this new media economy, don’t miss my free guide: “10 Skills Every Creative Freelancer Needs Now.” It’s a quick, actionable PDF I put together to help people stay sharp and in demand—whether you’re pitching, producing, or pivoting. Get you Copy Here​

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back next Friday with more headlines, more stories from behind the scenes, and more signals from the noise.

Until then—stay sharp, stay kind, and keep making stuff.

Jonathan

Founder, altmedia