Channel 4’s Andy Duncan on junk food adverts

Folks, for Duncan's recent letter to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, click here. Duncan claims that Channel 4's most important food-related programming was Jamie's School Dinners. I thought it was the Big Brother / Kit Kat promotion...

AVMSD = CAP?

If today's Westminster Media Forum seminar on the Television Without Frontiers Directive is any guide, being a DCMS official with newly-appointed Minister for Creative Industries Shaun Woodward must be an exciting experience. Having a Minister who knows the subject (he worked for the BBC for 10 years) and his mind ...

EU to follow Ofcom’s lead on operational separation?

EC Commissioner for Information Society and Media, Viviane Reding, yesterday spoke on the future of telecoms and radio spectrum regulation. For the MS Word version of her remarks, click here. It's an ambitious agenda she sets out. Among other things she calls for: * The creation of ...

Obtaining QoS information

Ofcom remains in an intellectual confusion when it comes to its policy on consumer information. As I made clear in this posting, I am one of those who believes that the market is failing to provide consumers with the information they need to be informed and empowered and that Ofcom ...

Ofcom concession leads to withdrawal of judicial review

The threat of a judicial review of Ofcom's consultation on the TV advertising of junk food has receded after what the campaigners see as a major concession. The National Heart Forum says Ofcom has today agreed to send a further consultation document to all interested parties, with the recently revised ...

ITV ‘withdrawing from children’s programming’

According to today's Guardian, ITV is closing its in-house production unit, and a 'senior source' says it is looking to withdraw from children's programming altogether -- using the threatened 'junk food ad ban' as an excuse, and believing it can 'roll Ofcom over' on reducing its public service obligations in ...

Should Ofcom consultations be pre-empted by legal challenges?

With respect to the National Heart Forum (NHF) complaint below, two questions are raised: 1. Was it wrong for Ofcom to not include a pre-9pm total ban on junk food (HFSS) adverts in its consultation options? Probably. Ofcom could have easily made this option one of the options ...

Campaigners won’t be ’scared off’ judicial review

The National Heart Forum coalition says it won't be scared off by Ofcom: here is the text of its news release. Friday 16 June 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OFCOM ATTEMPTS TO SCARE OFF HEALTH AND CHILDREN'S CHARITIES FROM TAKING LEGAL ACTION The broadcast regulator Ofcom has resorted to heavy-handed tactics to try and dissuade ...

FSA joins criticism of Ofcom on junk food

Further to Russ's update, new voices are adding to the criticism of Ofcom, weightiest being the Food Standards Agency which discussed the consultation on advertising of junk foods at its Board yesterday, and rather innovatively has webcast the discussion: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2006/jun/bristol The FSA is likely to adopt today a draft position ...

Ofcom Junk Food Advert Consultation — where do things stand?

Folks, if you want a really interesting blend of populism, science, politics and media policy -- look no further than Ofcom's junk food advert consultation. It's great! It's really one of the first occasions in which we've seen Ofcom thrown somewhat off its game with respect to a consultation. Here's where ...

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Mission - OfcomWatch is an informal group blog commenting on the processes and practices of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) and related media and communications regulation issues both in the United Kingdom and around the world...

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May 9th 2008
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Ofcom pluralism book: Tim Suter on impartiality in broadcasting

I thought one of the more engaging articles in Ofcom's recent book on pluralism was written by Tim Suter. In his piece Suter questions the notion that rules on due impartiality are coherent and future-proof. He writes in part: 'The fact that the requirement for impartiality stretches back to ...
May 6th 2008
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UK no. 1 in broadband international league table…

According to the OECD's most recent statistics, the UK is number 1 in the international league table of people videoing their destruction of ADSL wireless routers: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgBNc8Z0Zxk[/youtube] What is it about BT Home Hubs that drive people to violence?
May 4th 2008
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The GMTV phone-in scandal: Was Ofcom too soft?

On Friday, Ofcom denied my FOI Act request to uncover how much money GMTV refunded to victims of its wrongdoing. Ofcom stated that the information was subject to exemption 44 under the FOI Act and also stated 'Ofcom have not conducted any follow up and therefore we do not ...
May 2nd 2008
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OfcomWatch Friday Film Festival: Tiscali under scrutiny…

Here's an instant classic: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cBVAu927mw[/youtube]
May 1st 2008
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Rapture responds to OW post about Ofcom appeal…

This is Rapture thing is getting a bit tired. Isn't the fundamental problem here that satellite television carriage is just really expensive and under-capitalised firms who want to reach the public are better off just maintaining a web presence? I had the unfortunate task in my earlier job ...

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