The debate about the future of public service broadcasting in the UK intensified on Monday when the head of the broadcasting regulator said some central players were “scared” to join in the argument, in what was widely seen as a reference to the BBC.

Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom, said the effects of the credit crisis in the UK meant that the commercial broadcasters that make PSB programming – ITV, Channel 4, S4C and Five – had found themselves under increasing economic strain.