UK television has changed significantly over the past decade. The shift toward on-demand and streaming-first viewing has improved flexibility and access, but it has also reduced the number of shared live television moments that audiences experience together in real time.

Live and scheduled “event television” - including major entertainment finales, live broadcasts, and nationally coordinated programming - has historically played an important role in UK broadcasting culture. These moments create shared national experiences and collective cultural engagement that are increasingly less common.

This petition is not a call to reverse modern viewing habits or reduce streaming services. It is a call to ensure that shared television experiences remain an intentional and visible part of UK broadcasting.

We are calling on UK broadcasters - including the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 - to commit to maintaining a minimum level of scheduled live or first-broadcast “event television” each year.

Specifically, we ask broadcasters to:

• Maintain a consistent annual number of live or same-day national broadcasts designed for simultaneous viewing
• Protect dedicated scheduling slots for event-style programming that is not released exclusively on-demand
• Ensure that major cultural broadcasts continue to exist as shared national viewing experiences accessible to all audiences at the same time

Shared television moments still play a unique cultural role. This petition asks broadcasters to ensure they remain a deliberate part of the modern UK broadcasting landscape.