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The London based organisation PACT's Legal Service, operated in association with Marriott Harrison, has recently been designed to allow new and independent production companies with a modest turnover access to first class professional advice. The scheme is designed to make expert advice available at times when producers are struggling for finance. The rates offered are not made available to broadcasters or other financiers, and once an allowance for legal advice is made in development budgets, or a television/feature film is commissioned or funded, the fee level is a matter of agreement between...

On 9 February 1995, the House of Commons debated the future of the British Broadcasting Corporation, following the publication last Summer of a White Paper on the topic. Two important issues were discussed. One concerned the basis of the BBC's financing, specifically the retention of the licence fee. The Secretary of State for the National Heritage - the Government department responsible for broadcasting - reaffirmed the Government's commitment to the licence fee as the basic means of funding the Corporation. However, some MPs criticised the fact that this policy was to be reviewed before the...

The Radio Authority's Code of Advertising Standards and Practice and Programme Sponsorship has recently been revised. The rules on a wide variety of topics have been amended. Changes have been made with respect to: copy clearance; betting and gaming; premium rate telephone services; financial and medical advertising; introduction agencies and prohibited sponsors. The Authority has consulted the industry on the changes which were made in the light of two considerations: changing circumstances within the industry and the need for further clarity as regards particular topics. The Advertising Standards...

In a statement dated 20 February 1995, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has made a contribution to the G7 meeting on the information society. The statement, titled "Broadcasters' role in the information society", expresses the views of the national broadcasters which are members of the EBU, on the development of the information society. The EBU inter alia points out that the cultural, political and social dimensions of the information society must not take second place to the technological and economic aspects of the electronic superhighways. According to the EBU, a purely market driven information...

At the Conference of Ministers held in Brussels on February 25th and 26th, the G7 countries jointly decided to take a leading role in the setting up of a global information network. The participants agreed that their future collaboration would be based on eigth basic principles of which two aim especially at encouraging competition and private investment. It is expected that an official structure will be set up which, in the opinion of the participating countries, must take users' needs into account and allow the association to supply services at reasonable prices. Furthermore, this structure...