Long — sort of rambling — speech by James Purnell yesterday. (Available here). I thought the most interesting nugget was this:

‘The Government’s approach to spectrum is a case in point. A sure way to freeze innovation would be to reserve new spectrum for existing users and incumbents.

That’s why we have a clear policy of using market mechanisms to allocate spectrum – because that is the best way of identifying the most productive use to which it can be put. OFCOM is examining the best process for allocating the spectrum to be released through digital switchover and will report later this year. It has recognized that some uses of the spectrum may be socially as well as commercially valuable.

I welcome its moves to offer protection for the use of wireless microphones where there is a genuine special case. But the threshold for any such exception is extremely high, particularly if it means that large parts of the released spectrum are not available for new entrants to bid for.’

My take: Purnell appears to completely endorse Ofcom’s initial position on the digital dividend review that there should be no HDTV spectrum reserve for Freeview. That’s my interpretation…