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The Communications Act 2003 (see IRIS 2003-8: 10) contains a "plurality test" under which the minister may refer certain media mergers to the communications regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), for advice on public interest considerations. This precedes the decision of the minister whether or not to refer the merger to the competition authorities on the grounds that it may be against the public interest, to negotiate undertakings in place of a reference, or to clear the merger. Ofcom has now issued guidance on the public interest test to be adopted in its advice. The guidance stresses...

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has published the results of phase 1 of its review of public service television broadcasting. It is required to undertake such a review at least every five years under section 264 of the Communications Act 2003 (see IRIS 2003-8: 10), which also defines the overall public service remit of broadcasters. The review includes the BBC as well as the commercial public service broadcasters. In the first phase, Ofcom considered the current position of public service broadcasting, including how effective the main terrestrial channels are in providing it, and offered...

The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has issued a report commissioned by the Government on digital switchover. It notes that there has been considerable progress in take-up of digital equipment; 50.2% of households now have it, and the report claims that "the UK is recognised as the global leader in digital TV adoption." In 1999 the Government set a target for switchover for the period 2006-2010, subject to universal availability of the main channels in digital form and 95% of households having digital equipment by that date (see IRIS 1999-9: 15 and IRIS 2003-7: 9). Ofcom considers that without...

Both the U.K. Communications Act (2003) (see IRIS 2003-8: 10) and the BBC's Agreement contain obligations on public service broadcasters in respect of regional production and regional programmes. The Act (and the BBC's Agreement) requires that a suitable number and range of such programmes be produced in a suitable range of such centres. The obligation is to be realised by ensuring that a certain proportion of hours transmitted "comprises first-run programmes that meet the definition". The Office of Communications (Ofcom) is reviewing the requisite proportions during 2004. Such statutory obligations...

Currently, relief for expenditure on production and acquisition of films is covered by the Finance Act (No 2) 1997, Section 48. However, this is due to expire in July 2005. In the Budget Speech in the UK Parliament recently, the Chancellor said: "Since 1997 support for the British film industry has been worth GBP 2 billion and the number of films made here in Britain has doubled. I now propose to transfer the available reliefs for British-made films with budgets below GBP 15 million from the third parties, a minority of whom have abused them, and to pay reliefs directly to the film-makers themselves....