Year: 2025

Ofcom has launched a consultation proposing new rules to guarantee access to UK radio via voice assistant platforms such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant.

The plans mark the next step in implementing listener safeguards following the Media Act passed last year, which aims to ensure that radio remains freely and reliably available on smart speakers.
Ofcom’s report recommends that Amazon, Google and Apple be designated by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy as “significant platforms for radio listening”.
This means their voice assistants would be required to meet specific obligations, including ensuring that stations requested by name play correctly, access is free of charge, and that no additional content such as unauthorised adverts is overlaid on broadcasts.
The regulator says the move is designed to protect radio’s role as a trusted and freely accessible service at a time when nearly a third of all listening now takes place online, with smart speakers accounting for 18 per cent of those hours.
Ofcom’s consultation runs until 11 December, and the final framework is expected to come into force in 2026.
Matt Payton, Chief Executive of Radiocentre, said: “Radio listeners must be able to access their favourite stations simply and reliably on voice activated devices like smart speakers.
“Ofcom’s recommendations are a welcome first step in putting this into practice and ensuring that radio can continue to reach audiences with its valuable mix of music, information and entertainment.”

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BBC Radio 3 has hired Edith Bowman as the new presenter of Sound of Cinema, its flagship programme celebrating film music.

Broadcast every Saturday at 4pm, Edith will explore classic and contemporary movie scores through interviews, themed selections and special features that highlight the emotional power of music on screen.
Her debut show on 1 November includes an exclusive conversation with Oscar-winning composer Rachel Portman, with future guests set to include Alan Silvestri, Dame Emma Thompson and Graham Norton.
Edith is widely known for her award-winning Soundtracking podcast, where she has spoken with leading filmmakers and composers such as Greta Gerwig, Martin Scorsese, Hans Zimmer and Mica Levi. She will continue the podcast alongside her new BBC Radio 3 role, and remains part of Radio 3 Unwind with Cinematic Soundtracks.
Edith said: “Film and music are two of my passions that I’m very lucky to enthuse about in my work. I’m excited to add Sound of Cinema to that, and to share so much incredible music with the audience.”
The programme will be produced by BBC Audio’s new production unit based in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

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More than 400 podcasting and audio companies across the UK have united to urge the government to recognise their sector as part of the UK’s Creative Industries.

The open letter, led by AudioUK and signed by producers, studios and networks representing around 12,000 people, calls for formal recognition of podcasting and audio as a stand-alone creative industry with access to the same support as other cultural sectors.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has now confirmed plans to commission a major research study to collect data on the UK’s podcasting and audio landscape, with results expected in 2026. The study will examine the industry’s size, workforce and economic impact, covering podcasting, radio and audiobooks.
AudioUK says this marks a significant step towards building the evidence needed for future policy change and targeted support. The organisation is also working with DCMS to create a dedicated SIC code to classify podcasting and audio companies, which currently sit under unrelated business categories.
Chloe Straw, Chief Executive of AudioUK, said the industry’s rapid expansion and cultural importance demand proper recognition. “Podcasting and audio have become central to how audiences experience storytelling, journalism and entertainment,” she said. “It creates jobs across the UK and brings British stories to international audiences. Despite this growth, government policy has not kept pace with its impact.”
Among the sector’s key requests are a seat for an audio representative on the Creative Industries Council, a dedicated tax relief scheme, and a new IP Development Fund to encourage innovation and exports.
AudioUK’s full open letter and campaign report, along with the list of signatories, are available at audiouk.org

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