YouTube has told the television industry that it should be seen as a partner rather than a threat, in a major speech at the Edinburgh TV Festival. Pedro Pina, YouTube’s vice president for EMEA, argued that changing viewing habits create an opportunity for broadcasters and said traditional television retains distinctive strengths in creating shared cultural moments and high-profile drama.

Pina also criticised planned UK rules that could require YouTube and TikTok to give greater prominence to public service content, describing them as “forced prominence” that could harm creators and the public interest. He noted that 87% of Britons watch YouTube on television devices, while maintaining this use complements broadcasters; YouTube has nevertheless overtaken the BBC on a key audience-reach measure and is increasingly used by the BBC to reach younger and overseas audiences.