To protect traditional media in the face of digital growth, the UK government announced draft legislation on Tuesday meant to lock radio to smart speakers. Under the proposed Media Bill, smart speakers would be required by law to carry all UK-licensed radio stations. British broadcasters have been lobbying for this protection since 2021.
As it stands in the US, smart speakers are not required by law to carry radio stations. While American smart speakers typically come with pre-installed music and radio streaming services, the availability of radio stations on smart speakers depends on various factors including third party streamers.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said, “Our Bill will give these brilliant broadcasters and our legendary radio industry the tools to keep doing what they do best – nurturing the creative talent and skills that fuel the UK’s booming production industry, whilst making outstanding shows that we can all enjoy.”
This act would be the first major change to media that Britain has seen in twenty years – a stretch that has seen staggering amounts of change in how media is consumed. While it’s difficult to imagine a day that companies like Google or Amazon would block traditional radio stations from streaming on their devices, the extra level of protection in the UK, as well as here in the US, would be one less concern as radio fights for its connected future.
