Search results : 806

Two multi-media mergers in the UK have been cleared by the Office of Fair Trading, at the first stage of the assessment under the Enterprise Act 2002, of whether the merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition. This means that the mergers can go ahead without a full investigation by the Competition Commission. Both mergers relate to the emergence of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) as an alternative means to provide `triple play', i.e. pay-TV, internet and telecommunications services. The first merger is the acquisition by BSkyB Broadband Services Limited of Easynet...

Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, has issued a brief note to clarify the responsibility of broadcasters in relation to interactive content and the application of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code (relating to programme standards) and the Advertising Standards Code. Section 362(2) of the Communications Act 2003 provides that responsibility is placed on “the person with general control over which programmes and other services and facilities are comprised in the service (whether or not he has control of the content of individual programmes or of the broadcasting or distribution of the service)”. The...

As highlighted by the UK Film Council, the Chancellor of the Exchequer's December announcement relating to new tax incentives available for culturally British films entails the following: - on low budget films (with production budgets up to GBP 20 million), the tax credit level will be 20%; - on higher budget films (with production budgets of GBP 20 million and above), the tax credit level will be 16%; - this level of tax credit applies to the total amount of UK spend -up to 80%; and - a more flexible system allowing producers to phase tax credits taking them either at the start of production,...

On 15 December 2005, the Court of First Instance delivered its judgment in the case Infront WM AG v. Commission of the European Communities. The dispute concerned the legality of the Commission's letter holding the measures adopted by the UK Government in accordance with Art. 3a of the Television without Frontiers Directive to be compatible with Community law. Art. 3a of the Directive provides that each Member State may take measures to ensure that television broadcasters in its territory do not broadcast exclusively events of major importance for society in such a manner as to deprive a substantial...

Piccadilly Radio, based in Manchester, England (part of the Emap Radio Group) has been fined GBP 125 000 by the UK regulator, Ofcom, for remarks made by a presenter during late-night phone-in carried by its station, Key 103. The fine is the largest ever imposed on a radio station. The presenter concerned has been dismissed. In addition to the fine, Ofcom issued a Direction to Piccadilly Radio to broadcast the “statement of finding” three times a day for one week. The sanctions were imposed because of findings of breaches of Rule 1.1 (Offence to Public Feeling) of Ofcom's (ex- Radio Authority) Programme...