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The Office of Fair Trading, the general UK competition authority, has decided that Project Canvas, a proposed joint venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT, Talk Talk and Arqiva, does not constitute a merger and so does not qualify for investigation by the competition authorities. Project Canvas (see IRIS 2010-2: 1/22) is a proposal to build an open Internet-connected television platform with common technical standards. An earlier project (‘Project Kangaroo’) was blocked as anti-competitive by the Competition Commission in 2009 (IRIS 2009-4: 12/16), as it would provide viewers with access...

The UK Competition Commission, the country’s main competition authority, has decided that the Contract Rights Renewal (CRR) undertakings required of ITV1, the largest commercial broadcaster, are to continue. The undertakings were imposed by the Competition Commission and the Secretary of State after the merger of Carlton and Granada in 2003 to create a single ITV plc. They reflected concerns about the effect of the enhanced market position of the new company on competition in the sale of television advertising airtime. The undertakings allow buyers of advertising airtime to roll forward their pre-merger...

The Digital Economy Bill became law, passed in the final days of the last UK Parliament. The Bill was preceded by a White Paper, entitled ‘Digital Britain’, published by the Government in June 2009. The law covers a wide range of matters. The Act makes provisions about: the functions of the Office of Communications; online infringement of copyright and penalties for infringement of copyright and performers’ rights; internet domain registries; the functions of the Channel Four Television Corporation; the regulation of television and radio services; the regulation of the use of the electromagnetic...

Previous issues of IRIS have reported on several copyright infringement cases decided in the English Courts, (see, IRIS 2010-3: 1/26, IRIS 2010-3: 1/27, IRIS 2010-4: 1/26). Another case has been decided recently in an action brought by a number of film studios, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal, Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney, Columbia Pictures, against Newzbin Ltd., a Usenet indexer. That company was found liable for copyright infringement. Company accounts for 2009 indicate that Newzbin Ltd was a sizeable operation, with around 700,000 members, a turnover in excess of GBP 1 million, a profit...

Before the UK general election of 6 May 2010, a series of three television debates was held featuring the leaders of the three major UK parties. The Scottish National Party (SNP) was not included and its challenge to the BBC’s broadcast was rejected by a Scottish court. The BBC is required by its Charter and Agreement to do all it can to ensure that controversial subjects are treated with due accuracy and impartiality; this is reinforced by its editorial guidelines and by special rules applying during election periods; for example, requiring that “due weight is given to hearing the views and examining...