30/10/2002 - More power to OFCOM and safeguards for TV programming, but Labour insists on ending national media ownership monopoly and less bureaucracy

In order to avoid a delay in next month’s scheduled debate of the Draft Communication Bill in Parliament, the UK government announced on Tuesday 29 October, that it had given way to many proposed changes to the Bill made by a parliamentary Committee led by high-profile film producer Lord David Puttnam (Chariots of Fire).
UK Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, said that over 120 of the 148 recommendations made by the parliamentary Committee had been accepted. These included strengthening the role of the new media regulatory body, OFCOM (Office of Communications), fining the BBC if it breaches its programme obligations, and a review of the television programme supply market to protect independent production.
Although the British government did not climb down from its plans to open up the UK media market to foreign ownership – which will allow, for instance, US companies and Rupert Murdoch to buy into the UK terrestrial TV market – the decision to strengthen OFCOM and increase its Board membership should ensure programming commitments are met.
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said that the contributions of the Puttnam Committee “have led to significant changes to the original draft of the Bill, but the government has also been able to remain true to the key principles of reform that underpin the Bill: liberalising the market to cut out unnecessary bureaucracy, while retaining safeguards that will protect the plurality and diversity of our media”.
The Communications Bill is expected to be included in the Queen’s speech next month and legislation should follow early next year.

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