Folks, I’m sick to death of this warm and sunny beach scene — ready to return to Oxford via LHR Terminal Five!

– The whole Byron Review was published. Really, I was fairly impressed with both the Byron Review, and with Ofcom’s response. If I recall correctly Dr. Byron will appear before the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport tomorrow. You may recall that Ofcom refused to release its Byron Review response that it submitted back in 2007, under the theory that it would prejudice the debate. Well — now that none of us have been prejudiced — here’s Ofcom’s best nugget:

‘Although the goals are the same, the broadcast model of content regulation is not appropriate for potentially harmful online content. Rather, a new approach to content regulation is required: one which is built on a model of shared responsibility, which gives people the tools they need to take personal responsibility and which supports effective industry self-regulation. The growing importance of online media literacy derives from this: media-literate parents and children, equipped to take on this personal responsibility, provide a significant means of protection.’

Good point, of course. Ofcom are dead right. Perhaps the more interesting question: Why can’t Ofcom’s logic also be applied to the broadcast model? Ofcom advocate lighter forms of self-regulation for the internet, but in their own broadcast realm they still cling to old-school, top-down regulatory tools such as the Broadcasting Code and its very important prohibition on hypnosis! The internet has no watershed — why does Ofcom?

You can say the F-word on YouTube, but not on ITV.

– Nicholas Watt in the Media Guardian writes about the Conservatives’ plan to support top-slicing the BBC licence-fee. (although I recall reading this in the Daily Mail first). I haven’t seen the details of this plan yet, but based on the news reports it appears that Ofcom won’t have a role in regulating or managing the TSBF (top-sliced booty fund).

– Owen Gibson has another great interview out, this time he interviews Kip Meek. I like how he calls Kip’s offices ‘eerily beautiful’. I went there with a friend once and they joked ‘I thought I was in the Tate Modern!’

See you soon…