Another perspective on Ofcom’s Digital Dividend Review…

We received the following comment from the British Entertainment Industry Radio Group: "Another major impact of the digital switchover is threatened loss of interleaved spectrum (an certainly the loss of useful spectrum co-ordination through the JFMG) for PMSE (Programme Makiing and Special Events) use. So - loads of bandwidth for new ...

Open Knowledge Foundation: Ofcom PSP ‘is going to do absolutely nothing’

In this elegant posting, the Open Knowledge Foundation takes aim at Ofcom's idea for a public service publisher, or PSP. Some of the criticism is fair -- and some over-stated. The Foundation writes: "[I]t became clear that the decision had already been made to turn the PSP into a ...

How might Ofcom rule on Celebrity Big Brother complaints?

I thought it was interesting that the very first adjudication in Ofcom's most recent Broadcast Bulletin (released yesterday) was one involving racist remarks. Click here for the bulletin. So, if you are interested in learning how Ofcom might approach the recent furore over certain Celebrity Big Brother housemates ...

BBC Licence fee question on U.K. citizenship test???

A friend of mine who just took the U.K. citizenship test was quizzing me over dinner on Saturday night and --- while she could not remember the exact question --- she said the U.K. citizenship test asks something along the lines of 'If you have ten TVs in your house, ...

OFCOM: BBC On Demand Proposals

OFCOM have released another monster (and interesting) report which is the Market Impact Assessment on the proposed BBC On Demand services. It is too early for me to have digested the whole 168 pages, but there are three points that immediately spring to my mind from an initial glance at ...

Ofcom publishes first MIA on likely market impact of BBC’s proposed on-demand services

Ofcom today published its first Market Impact Assessment (MIA) which examines the BBC's proposal to develop and bring to market new on-demand services. The proposed services represent an important opportunity for audiences to access BBC content in new and different ways. The services also have the potential to expand growth in ...

Ofcom’s DDR: a looming high-def divide?

I spent yesterday at the Oxford Media Convention. This was the third or fourth year I had attended and -- except for Andy Duncan's embarrassing beg-a-thon -- it's generally a good overview of law and policy in the U.K. media sector. I thought the most interesting part of the day ...

Beeb Licence – The Top Line

I always get frustrated when I hear the beeb expressing its licence fee in the mandatory cost to the individual householder, so here is a different view. A quick explanation about the model: Number of households is taken from the Annual report and is the combined total of fee paying colour licence ...

I ♥ Shilpa (2) … Ofcom complaint website

This morning, just before heading off to the Oxford Media Convention, I typed 'Shilpa' into the Ofcom website search engine. The result?  A recommended link: 'Complain to Ofcom about Celebrity Big Brother'. Thinking this proactive Ofcom stance might work for my benefit, I then searched for 'Dunstone' - no luck...

European Commission: Media pluralism in 3-easy steps

Yesterday the European Commission issued this press release, highlighting the importance of 'media pluralism' and some steps the European Commission is doing to promote the concept. The Commission envisions three-steps: 1. a staff working paper, available here*; 2. an independent study, to be completed in 2007, on media pluralism ...

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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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