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The Independent Television Commission has recently published its revised Code On Sports and Other Listed Events. In general, the Code gives guidance on matters relating to televising sports events and other events of national interest as listed, from time to time, by the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport. The ITC does so to fulfil its statutory duty under the Broadcasting Act 1996 (Section 104), as amended by The Television Broadcasting Regulations 2000. The Regulations came in to force on 19 January 2000. Updating the Code was done to incorporate the requirements of Directive 89/552/EC,...

Following a wide-ranging review, the BBC has issued in February a new code for programme makers - the Producers' Guidelines - which sets out the BBC's editorial and ethical standards. The previous edition was issued just over three years ago in November 1996. This new edition has been substantially revised and strengthened from experience to reflect inter alia: current BBC programme-making standards; new audience expectations; the challenges of the digital age; the BBC's increasing role in international television; the growing importance of online broadcasting and changes in (European) law. The...

A joint announcement has recently been made by the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport and the Trade and Industry Secretary, signaling the publication later this year of another White Paper, proposing a new law to "take account of the convergence of the communications industries." On June 17 1999, an earlier White Paper, "Regulating Communications: The Way Ahead" was published. The aim of the new White Paper will be to take into account the proposals that have emerged from the European Union, namely "Towards a New Framework for Electronic Communications Infrastructure and Associated...

The Office of Fair Trading, the main UK competition authority, is to undertake a competition review of BSkyB's position in pay television. This has been prompted by consolidation in the cable industry and the launch of digital TV. BSkyB both supplies satellite television programmes directly to viewers in the UK and grants to the operators of cable television the right to receive its Channels from satellites for onward transmission to viewers. An earlier review had been carried out by the Office in 1996. As an outcome, BSkyB had given informal undertakings to meet competition concerns. These had...

The UK Telecommunications Regulator, the Office of Telecommunications, has announced new arrangements for pricing local calls to enable Internet service providers to choose the pence per minute call rate to be paid by customers. In the past, the standard local call rate has had to be charged in most cases. This has amounted to a disincentive to Internet use, especially as in the UK there is no unmetered local call availability, unlike for example in the United States. All local calls are paid on a time-metered basis (except in the city of Hull which has its own telecommunications company). The...