November 17th 2006
By: Roger Darlington
In the domains of financial services regulation and media and communications regulation, new regulatory bodies have recently been formed: the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Each faces complex challenges in regulating risks; each is evolving a 'culture of regulation' that transcends classic forms of regulation, ...
November 17th 2006
By: Russ
Ofcom made a decisive move today, banning junk food (HFSS) adverts in and around programmes aimed at the under-16 crowd. You know, the fat kids who sit around and watch too much television. Ofcom deserve credit - it had to navigate in a highly contested policy arena, with ...
November 17th 2006
By: Luke
Ofcom have banned junk food advertising around kids channels and all shows wit6h a higher than average proportion of viewers under 16. After significant consultation Ofcom decided on the balance of the evidence that the best way to achieve its objectives would be a total ban on HFSS food and ...
November 16th 2006
By: Roger Darlington
Ofcom has today published research which evaluates the experience of UK consumers in telecoms, broadcasting and internet markets. Published alongside it is a policy evaluation document which uses the data to assess the impact of Ofcom's regulation and the priorities it has set itself.
The research, entitled 'The Consumer Experience', highlights ...
November 16th 2006
By: Roger Darlington
At an Ofcom conference held today to launch the outcome of a new research project under the heading "The Consumer Experience", the Chair of the Ofcom Consumer Panel Colette Bowe set out a 'To-do list' for the new Ofcom Chief Executive Ed Richards.
The list was:How should we use the digital ...
November 14th 2006
By: Roger Darlington
We will have to await the outcome of the negotiations between the Government and the BBC over the corporation's future licence fee before the Government will announce details of theTargeted Help Scheme for digital switchover.
Meanwhile a PR campaign, funded by DCMS, is being planned to re-assure older and disabled people ...
November 14th 2006
By: Scott
It looks as though the Council of Ministers has seen some sense with regards to the European Commissions proposals for a Directive to update the Television Without Frontiers Directive. They voted in favour of a compromise text submitted by the presidency (Sweden, Ireland, Latvia, Belgium, Lithuania, Luxemburg and Austria were ...
November 13th 2006
By: Russ
Today's New York Sun offers a stridently-worded opinion piece by former FCC commissioner Harold Furchtgott Roth. Roth basically says we should ignore OECD broadband statistics that place the U.S. behind some of its European and Asian friends and instead focus on the underlying structural forces at work in the U.S. ...
November 10th 2006
By: Russ
Dan Sabbagh takes aim at Europe's Audiovisual Media Services Directive in today's Times. Click here for his take. He writes in part:
In Europe, MEPs will begin thrashing out revisions to Television Without Frontiers. The new directive aims to keep up with changes in technology, setting minimum standards in regulation across ...
November 9th 2006
By: Scott
The consolidated version of the Wireless Telegraphy Act received royal assent yesterday. The Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 The act consolidates enactments regarding wireless telegraphy included in the Wireless Telegraphy Acts of 1949, 1967, and 1998; the Marine & Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967; Telecommunications Act 1984; Broadcasting Act 1990; Regulation ...
