April 18th 2007
By: Russ
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 ...
April 17th 2007
By: Russ
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 ...
April 16th 2007
By: Russ
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 ...
April 16th 2007
By: Luke
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 ...
April 16th 2007
By: Russ
* 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 ...
April 11th 2007
By: Luke
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 ...
April 10th 2007
By: scottlunt
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 ...
April 6th 2007
By: Russ
[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 ...
April 5th 2007
By: Russ
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. - ...
April 4th 2007
By: Russ
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 ...
