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On 3 April 2023, Ofcom (the UK’s independent communications regulator) issued guidance to broadcasters on the use of “synthetic media”, including “DeepFakes”. The regulator stated that its Broadcasting Code is adequately equipped to help maintain trust and fairness in programming and reminded licence holders to give thoughtful consideration to their compliance processes. Ofcom understands the term “synthetic media” to mean video, image, text, or voice that has been produced (either fully or partly) with the help of artificial intelligence algorithms....

Ofcom has introduced the BBC’s new operating licence which came into effect on 1 April 2023. The new licence will hold the BBC responsible for delivering its remit, and takes account of innovative ways of distributing content. The licence reflects the changing habits of listeners and viewers, who depend less on linear programme scheduling.   Ofcom became the first independent regulator of the BBC under the current BBC Charter and Agreement, which began on 1 January 2017 and will end on 31 December 2027. Ofcom’s power to regulate the BBC is derived from Section 192...

On 29 March 2023, the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) published a draft Media Bill that reforms the regulatory framework for public service broadcasters (PSBs) in the UK. The Bill aims to level the playing field with streaming services and modernise longstanding broadcast legislation to reflect changes in the global media ecology. The Bill is introduced against the background of a “fierce battle to attract and retain audiences” in the broadcast market, with changes to content consumption habits that have put traditional broadcasters “under unprecedented pressure”,...

Ofcom has found that the Mark Steyn programme (aired on GB News), presented by Mark Steyn, breached the Regulator’s rules about not materially misleading an audience when drawing conclusions based on data issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). GB News is a television channel that primarily broadcasts current affairs programmes. It also has hourly news bulletins and describes itself as “Britain’s News Channel”. Mark Steyn was a presenter for GB News, which broadcast four days a week between 20.00 and 21.00. During the show, Mr Steyn gave his views on various...

On 16 February 2023, the press regulator IMPRESS launched its new Standards Code, with key changes including guidance on AI and emerging technologies, stricter measures on tackling misinformation, stronger safeguarding guidelines, and a lower discrimination threshold. Background IMPRESS is the only British press regulator to have sought formal approval from the Press Recognition Panel (PRP). The Panel was established in the aftermath of the phone-hacking scandal to ensure that any future press regulator meets certain standards in compliance with the Leveson report recommendations. IMPRESS...