Public broadcasting is under increasing pressure in Europa. The developments in public service broadcasting in the UK are examined in this publication by Des Freedman. He analyses how -faced with increased competition from commercial rivals and ongoing pressure from hostile governments- public service broadcasters have failed to adequately safeguard their future in an environment marked by constant technological change and an increasingly distrustful audience. In response to this loss of reputation for independence and innovation, Des Freedman presents a plan for reform and modernization and recommends i.a. public service broadcasters to reinvent themselves as public service content creators and distributors, to strive for more diversity and to become more democratic. This paper is published in German and English and is the first of a German series on the state of public service broadcasting in Europe.