I Told You So!
By Alan ‘Smug’ Hamilton
Within all of us lies a deep dark trait that most of us would viciously deny was part of our personalities, and yet the desire to wield it in the right situations is so overwhelming that I doubt that there are any of us that can resist. I�m [...]
The Final Hurdle?
Three years in the making and it could yet come undone. The Communications Bill looks set to get a rough ride in the House of Lords this week.
Peers, led by Lord Puttnam, Lord Bragg, Lord Hussey and Lord McNally are threatening to force a vote if clauses designed to lift foreign ownership restrictions [...]
Murdoch Denies Interest in Five
Rupert Murdoch has reiterated that he isn�t interested in taking on the UK�s fifth terrestrial broadcasting licence. His denial comes as peers prepare to do battle over the proposed relaxation of the media ownership laws.
Speaking at a News Corp financial press conference Murdoch said, “We have never asked to buy Channel [...]
Peer Pressure
The House of Lords �filibustered� the Communications Bill last week on grounds that the proposed relaxation of foreign ownership restrictions would leave the UK broadcasting ecology at the mercy of large, multi-national media conglomerates.
The outcry stems from the potential of a Murdoch buyout of �Five� if the ownership liberalization goes ahead as currently [...]
Ofcom’s Content Board Is Too Old Already
When Richard Hooper, Deputy Chair of Ofcom announced the appointees to the Content Board at the Westminster Media Forum a few weeks ago there was some surprise at its makeup.
Most contentious was the choice of Olympic Gold Medal long jumper Jonathan Edwards to represent the tastes and views [...]
It’s Just Not Rock N’ Roll
Peter Jamieson, Chief Executive of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), has suggested the introduction of quotas to protect British music from an influx of foreign material in a liberalized radio market.
The BPI claim that such a measure would protect audiences from potential interference by new owners such as the [...]
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