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Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, has completed a further phase in its long-running investigation into pay-TV markets and is now consulting on possible remedies (see IRIS 2009-1: 13). The central issue is the wholesale supply of premium content by Sky to its competitors. Ofcom has found that live top-flight sports and first-run Hollywood movies are particularly effective in driving pay-TV subscriptions because they combine broad audience appeal with a high degree of exclusivity to pay-TV. There are narrow economic markets for the wholesale of Core Premium Sports and Core Premium Movie channels...

The UK Government has published “Digital Britain - Final Report” setting out its proposals on a wide range of communications issues. Its basic aim is “to secure the UK’s position as one of the world’s leading digital knowledge economies”. A number of proposals directly concern the broadcasting sector. The Government has rejected privatisation of Channel 4, but its statutory remit will be updated and discussions will continue on a strategic partnership between Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide, the Corporation’s commercial arm. The Government will consult on a “Contained Contestable Element” of the television...

Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, is consulting on plans for managing spectrum during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London and other parts of the UK. It envisages unprecedented demand for spectrum for uses including private mobile radios, so that the London Organising Committee and others can keep in contact at the London Olympic Park and the 35 other Games venues. Supporting broadcasting services will also need to be provided for 20,000 members of the media broadcasting to a global audience of around five billion. These will include wireless microphones used by the Committee and...

Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, has announced further changes to its advertising rules, as part of its continuing review of advertising regulation (for earlier changes see IRIS 2008-5: 11 and IRIS 2008-9: 12). Ofcom has decided to maintain the number of advertising breaks permitted on public service broadcasting (PSB) channels at current levels for programmes with a scheduled duration of 90 minutes or less, but to increase the number of permitted breaks in longer programmes to the same level as permitted on non-PSB channels. This does not affect the rules applying to particular types of...

More often than one might expect, basic issues concerning music rights are unknown territory for producers of music works, film composers and musicians. Reading this IRIS plus is a first step towards understanding the complex legal matter. The article starts by explaining the legal position of the film composer, which comprises the questions of who holds copyrights, for how long and what kind. It thereafter focuses on issues around licensing and remuneration including the role of collecting societies. The article then looks at various aspects of piracy: a major concern for the audiovisual industry....