OFT press release follows…
The OFT today reported to the Secretary of State on the completed acquisition by British Sky Broadcasting Group plc (BSkyB) of a 17.9 per cent stake in ITV plc (ITV). The OFT believes that the test for a merger reference to the Competition Commission is met on competition grounds.
The report confirms the [...]
What is it? It is that there are two web sites that provide consumers with quality of service indicators produced by the operators themselves. The one for fixed-line services, which is mandated by Ofcom, was launched in July 2006 and the one for mobile services, which is a voluntary scheme, commenced in August 2007.
The first [...]
I attended Tuesday’s seminar in Oxford about whether anyone has made the case for a state subsidy public intervention in the new media sphere. Hosted by David Levy, the seminar mainly explored whether there are any ‘gaps’ in the marketplace provision of new media content that would warrant a 50 – 100 million GBP government [...]
This post picks up on some of Russ’ earlier comments relating to Ofcom’s role in regulating the interactive television market in the wake of Panorama’s expose about GMTV and others on Monday evening.
Having observed Ofcom since its inception it is undeniable that the regulator has produced much innovative and well researched work across a number [...]
Ofcom are under fire by politicians and the public for failing to stop the recent phone-in quiz scandals. The scandal took a turn for the worse this week when it was revealed on a BBC Panorama programme that GMTV viewers had been conned out of about 40 million GBP over a four-year time period.
The [...]
Last week saw Ofcom delve deeper into the future of radio licensing in the UK.
First, Ofcom began a consultation on the future regulatory framework for radio. The big issue is that people are switching to digital platforms (DAB, iTunes) and that analogue radio is beginning to fade in importance. The industry is also [...]
Speaking at the Voice of the Listener and Viewer’s ‘Fresh Visions from Familiar Faces – sustaining quality content into the digital age’ conference today, ITV’s Executive Chairman, Michael Grade reportedly said -
“I’m not opposed to regulation. What concerns me is that [when] any special interest group pops up and gets a campaign going and makes [...]
I just stumbled across an interesting blog called ‘Fighting BT Wholesale‘ — an anonymous complaint-style blog devoted to one person’s perspective on fighting working with BT. The blog’s stated purpose:
‘This blog is a record of an employee of a UK ISP who has to deal with BT Wholesale, and wishes to show what exactly goes [...]
Dr. David Levy will be convening a seminar at Said Business School / Oxford on April 24 (16:00 – 18:00, drinks after) on the Ofcom-created concept of a public service publisher (PSP). Speakers include:
Peter Phillips, Ofcom
Robin Foster, Human Capital
Steve Folwell, Guardian Media Group
Click here for details on how to register.
Personally, I would be curious to learn [...]
Interesting article from Andrew Orlowski in The Register which highlights moves by mobile providers to restrict internet telephony functionality on handsets. Truphone, a provider of WLAN VoIP services is reportedly mulling an official complaint to Ofcom to ask the regulator to intervene if mobile networks continue to cripple VoIP-capable handsets.
The article highlights Orange and Vodafone [...]
Channel 4’s CEO Andy Duncan said back in 2005: ‘Regarding other forms of commercial income, I’ve just restructured to grow our 4Ventures businesses more effectively and we’ll continue to explore profitable joint ventures. We are only expecting to make around break-even this year on these activities, and to hit the numbers in our model in [...]
This morning Luke and I attended the UK Parliament’s Trade & Industry and Culture, Media & Sport Committees’ joint session on Ofcom’s Annual Plan. Here’s my take:
Ofcom face a variety of constraints and forms of oversight. Whether it is judicial review or the scrutiny of media sources like OfcomWatch, we expect society to [...]
Ofcom have just announced the appointment of Julian Eccles as its Director of Communications. Eccles looks like he brings a first-rate track record to Ofcom, although bloggers cynics will be quick to point out his Labour Party credentials — something of a theme in U.K. media regulation lately.
We look forward to working with Julian…
[Ofcom [...]
It was interesting to note a number of articles at the weekend suggesting that the National Consumer Council are looking to ramp up pressure on Ofcom to force a settlement in the Sky/Virgin Media spat.
As I have said before it is amusing how many consumer groups and panels have attached themselves to this issue seemingly [...]
* We have a new poll up (over to the right). This time we ask our readers to comment on the Channel 4 future / funding issue currently under consultation at Ofcom. Our last poll asked readers to comment on how Ed Richards was doing. He got mixed reviews: About [...]
Ofcomwatch had the pleasure of interviewing Ofcom CEO Ed Richards last month. In an interview that covered topics ranging from numbering policy to the proposed Public Service Publisher (PSP), Richards’ provides an assessment Ofcom’s progress to date and looks ahead to challenges such as the Digital Dividend Review, next generation access and the review of [...]
A recently published U.S. study of internet usage shows drastic increases in streaming of audio or video by users.
Suprised?
I didn’t think so.
The study, published last week by Bridge Ratings in Glendale California, sampled 2222 persons in the U.S. to ask them about their streaming habits. Among other data, the study shows a sharp increase in [...]
[Huw Williams of NetStrategics asked OfcomWatch to post the following essay]:
In days gone by the big question that Ofcom, and Oftel before it, faced was how to deal with the local loop monopoly of BT. In these days of converged communications, it is now how to deal the effective monopoly that is Sky’s Electronic Programme [...]
Ofcom just opened an informal consultation — responses due May 4 — on what to do about Channel 4’s financial future. If you have an opinion financial data to contribue just email: mark.bunting@ofcom.org.uk, although I am sure he won’t want to hear your views on Jane Goody (ed. – who?).
I just skimmed the research [...]
Ofcom last week held a seminar in Brussels on the subject of NGA. I don’t think the public was invited — I don’t recall seeing an announcement. Anyway, Dougal Scott gave an overview of the issue for the UK. Here are the reasons why Scott thinks that no big NGA announcements have [...]
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