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The BBC does not carry advertising on any of its public service broadcasting channels and so relies on funding by licence fee. The funding level is set for several years in advance by the government, and the latest settlement has just been announced. The BBC had sought a generous settlement to include the costs of digital switchover, the development of new services, and the moving of key departments to Salford, in the North West of England. It thus applied for a settlement of inflation plus two point three percent over the next ten years. This was widely perceived as having been unrealistic, and...

Analogue broadcasting in the UK is to be switched off in regional stages between 2008 and 2012. Digital television in the form of Freeview (a joint venture between the BBC and commercial broadcasters) has been phenomenally successful and has contributed (together with digital satellite broadcasting) to a figure of over 73% of households receiving digital television by September 2006. Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, has now confirmed details of licence conditions to ensure that coverage by digital terrestrial television is achieved after switchover, to a degree equivalent to that of current...

Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has decided, after consultation, to end the ban on television channels broadcasting appeals for donations to make programmes or to fund their services. Previously such appeals were permitted by radio broadcasters and by those broadcasting television to the UK from abroad; part of the reason for the change is to establish a more level playing field. The change will be particularly relevant to religious, ethnic minority, local and community channels, although it is not envisaged that donations will be an adequate sole source of funding for any channel and...

In December 2003, the Secretary of State asked the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom) to consider proposals to strengthen the rules on food and drink advertising to children. After extensive research and consultation, Ofcom has now reached a controversial decision to ban all advertisements for products that are high in fat, salt and sugar in and around all programmes of particular appeal to children under the age of 16, broadcast at any time of day or night on any channel. This will include a total ban on such advertising in and around all children’s programmes and on dedicated children’s channels...

Although sponsorship of programmes has been allowed in the United Kingdom for fifteen years, sponsorship of channels has so far not been permitted. The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has announced that, after extensive consultation, it has decided to amend its Broadcasting Code to permit the sponsorship of commercial television channels and radio stations. Important safeguards are retained to preserve editorial integrity and to protect children. Originally Ofcom had proposed that channels which contained programmes which could not be sponsored (news and current affairs) could not themselves be...