Articles about Ofcom

It seems hard to believe that it was back in September 2005 when this licensing process actually began. Back then, of course, Ofcom was looking for applicants for a new…

The premium rate phone scandal, continued

Ofcom chairman disputes BBC’s ‘unique link’ with licence fee payers There’s more than a hint of trying to defend the indefensible when Ofcom chairman David Currie yet again attempts to…

The “what’s on” wars: BBC Local vs commercial radio Now is not a good time to be involved in commercial UK radio, it seems. Advertisers are trimming their marketing budgets…

The Cambs Times: Fen Radio expected to close by the end of July As of today this story may not be widely reported, but it seems that radio group UKRD…

Channel 4 ponders move into regional news as ITV retreats Currently ITV plc has a big dilemma on its hands. Its share price is several times lower than it was…

BBC: ‘We’ll share expertise to save licence fee’ This could theoretically end up being the best solution to the lingering problem of how best to support broadcasters with public service…

ITV News: Beat the property slump Tonight’s “Beat the property slump” on ITV1 (which for the next couple of days can be seen again via ITV Catch Up if you…

There’s a certain irony that ITV apparently failed to meet its quotas for out of London production. Irony that a network which was founded on regional principles, to spread power and away from the capital, is now firmly rooted in London, and makes most of its programmes there.

Andy Duncan ‘fed up’ by Channel 4 funding ‘squabble’ Hot on the heels of the BBC Trust chairman Michael Lyons declaring that the BBC’s piggy bank wasn’t to be raided…

BSkyB’s digital terrestrial pay-TV plans on hold BSkyB’s planned digital terrestrial pay-TV service known as Picnic – something that most people outside of Sky had probably forgotten about by now…

Digital radio needs a makeover, says Ofcom According to Peter Davis who is Ofcom’s director of radio and multimedia, DAB just requires a “Freeview-style relaunch” and also claims that “It’s…

Ofcom raps BBC over Live Earth swearing Last summer’s Live Earth concerts turned out to be controversial not only for the nature of the BBC’s coverage (judged by some to…

Ofcom puts a quango out of its misery

End BBC grip on licence fee You can tell that the Conservatives aren’t in power yet (and desperate for ideas) as they end up grasping an old policy that was…

Digital Spy: Channel 4’s DAB mux faces more delays This isn’t really that surprising but such news will just conspire to add more gloom to radio industry executives; it now…

Ofcom scraps ‘public service publisher’ plans The only surprise was what took them so long, namely Ofcom finally conceding defeat with the (expected) scrapping of the ‘public service publisher’ idea….

Digital radio rift at Channel 4 Channel 4 has a countdown conundrum all of its own to solve, namely whether to press ahead full steam with the launch of three…

Digital Spy: Ofcom’s HDTV plans “jeopardise” Freeview You just have to laugh at the intentions behind some so-called “surveys”. Ask people whether they would prefer five high definition channels as…

Big Brother fallout continues

A few weeks ago I was flicking through channels on my Sky “freesat” (the quotes are because “Freesat” is actually, believe it or not, a BBC trademark) system upstairs to…

Broadcasters are under the closest scrutiny they have been under in years