The BBC's Digital-only Transition Opportunities and Challenges in a Public Service Context

Based on the backdrop of rapidly evolving digital technologies, this paper explores the opportunities and challenges encountered by the BBC as it transforms its digital platforms, a transformation driven by a combination of technological developments and changes in viewer behaviour that will allow the BBC to maintain its leadership position in the new media age. Through a literature review, this paper will not only point out the positive impacts of the digital transformation process on user engagement, operational cost efficiency and sustainability, but also discuss the negative impacts of the change in terms of widening the digital divide and being threatened by the algorithms of third-party platforms. Ultimately, it will be argued that success in the process of innovative transformation depends on its ability to be inclusive, transparent and resolutely defend its core principles of public service. This paper will inform the digital transformation of other broadcasters with public media properties and demonstrate the diverse changes in content distribution in the digital process.