United Kingdom

[GB] ITC Extends Bundling Review

IRIS 1997-9:1/29

Stefaan Verhulst

PCMLP University of Oxford

The Independent Television Commission has extended its review of the practice of bundling pay-TV channels by publishing a new consultation document. Its initial consultation paper "Competition Investigation into Premium Channel Bundling in the Pay-TV Market" was issued in November 1996. At the request of the European Commission the ITC will now also be investigating whether the wholesale price discount structure for BSkyB's premium channels could prevent the entry of other providers into the market. The ITC will also examine the issues of carriage guarantees, basic channel bundling and digital TV and its effect on the market and viewers. The investigation was prompted after a complaint from the Cable Communications Association.