Ofcom has published its decision on the removal of the requirement in the licences for digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplexes B, C and D that any services carried are provided on a free-to-air basis. In short, it will proceed with the proposals from its October 2005 consultation on this issue.

I was interested to see that one of the respondents to that consultation made an additional remark about the way in which Ofcom seeks responses to its consultations:

“I find it a matter of regret that you should request submissions in Microsoft Word format. I do not believe that a body such as Ofcom should seek to promote an organisation such as Microsoft.”

Requiring that responses are in Microsoft Word format is surely unnecessary. Ofcom’s latest batch of open consultations seem to promote its online form as the primary means through which to respond, but Microsoft Word format is still singled out as the only alternative to this besides post/fax. This is possibly not the most serious issue that Ofcom faces at the moment. Even so, it seems that the respondent raised a legitimate complaint.