July 31st 2003
By: Russ
Pop Music and Nationalism
Neil McCormick suggests that BBC Radio 1 is playing too much American music and speaks favorably of a quota system to ensure greater playtime for British music. McCormick says:So how to protect homegrown music against homogenisation by US commercial forces? It is worth noting that France ...
July 29th 2003
By: Hugo
Will The Communications Act Really Attract Foreign Investors?
Daniel Sandelson, head of the communications, media and technology group at Clifford Chance, thinks the Communications Act 2003 might deter rather than attract foreign investors. In a terrific roundup in The Lawyer magazine this week he suggests that the new legislation ...
July 28th 2003
By: Russ
Where do we go from here?
More back-and-forth over the reporting of Dr. Kelly's various statements to the BBC about intelligence on Iraq/WMD. The Guardian reports that the dispute has now raised questions about the Beeb's future as an exclusive recipient of the licensing fee.
Let's not forget the two unassailable ...
July 26th 2003
By: Hugo
EC Directives Come Into Force
The new EC Electronic Communications Directives came into force yesterday.
The framework, incorporated into the Communications Act, 2003 provides the basis for regulation by Ofcom when it assumes regulatory responsibility at the end of 2003.
Much contention over whether the Competition Commission's reinforcement order for mobile operators ...
July 25th 2003
By: Russ
The Economist on the BBC's Uncertain Future
The Economist has a nice piece ('Poor reception') in this week's (July 26-August 1) issue about the regulatory future of the BBC. The seven paragraph article says more about the future of the BBC than I could locate in the Beeb's most recent ...
July 24th 2003
By: Russ
Jackie Ashley on Sauron...I mean...Murdoch
Today's Guardian has something for fans of the Lord of the Rings. Yes, it's an old-fashioned batlle of good versus evil!
Jackie Ashley offers the following:This time, with the communications bill soon to become law - even as amended - Murdoch has a chance of getting ...
July 23rd 2003
By: Russ
And speaking of U.S. predators...
The penultimate paragraph of Luke's 5:23 pm post of July 22nd quotes London lawyer Sean James who claims he knows of "U.S. predators out there just waiting for the green light" to acquire British media properties.
What a silly claim. There are no U.S. predators ...
July 22nd 2003
By: Luke
The Global Picture
Great piece in the FT's Creative Business yesterday - subscription required to view - offering a comparative study between regulatory approaches in the US, Brazilian, Indian, Australian and French media markets.
Of the UK the FT says...
"Post Comms Bill, the UK is, by international standards, extremely liberal on ownership ...
July 22nd 2003
By: Luke
Communications Act, 2003 : Lawyers Know What They Like And Like What They See
Having had the weekend to look over the Communications Act in full, lawyers seem to like what they see - plenty of work.
Edward Fennell in today's Times highlights the areas, in the broadcasting realm, where there is ...
July 22nd 2003
By: Luke
BBC Governors Feel The Heat
Much press today reporting calls for the BBC Governors to be scrapped and the corporation brought under Ofcom.
The FT sums it up - "The corporation is fighting growing calls by MPs for Ofcom, the new media regulator, to assume regulatory responsibility for the accuracy and ...
