Home > About Ofcom > Corporate Structure and Governance > Advisory Committees for the Nations > Advisory Committee for N Ireland > Notes of meetings > 17

14|07|08

Minutes of the seventeenth meeting of the Ofcom Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland – Wednesday 20 February 2008 10.30am – 4.00pm

Members present:

Wallace Ewart (Chairman)
Jim Dougal
Isolde Goggin
Máire Killoran
Billy McClean
Sally Montgomery
Leslie Orr

Apologies:

David Elliott
Glynn Roberts
Kevin McLaughlin Ofcom Consumer Panel, Member for NI

In attendance:

Denis Wolinski Ofcom Northern Ireland
Graham Howell Ofcom London
Jane Rumble Ofcom London (via video conference)
Paul Moore Ofcom Content Board, Member for NI (via phone)
Tom Loosemore Ofcom London (via video conference)
Will Hayter Ofcom London (via video conference)
Steve Unger Ofcom London (via video conference)
Emma Taylor Ofcom London (via video conference)
Richard Howard Ofcom London (via video conference)
Nick Collins Ofcom London (via video conference)
Meleri Thomas Ofcom London (via video conference)
Hilary Anderson Ofcom London (via video conference)
Jonathan Rose Ofcom Northern Ireland

1. Welcome

1.1 The Chairman welcomed all present to the seventeenth meeting of the Ofcom Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland.

1.2 The Chairman welcomed new member Lesley Holmes to the Committee. Lesley’s term officially starts in March and she was attending the meeting as an observer.

1.3 The Chairman also noted that David Elliott and Glyn Roberts had reached the end of their terms on the Committee and he thanked them, in their absence, for their contribution to the Committee.

2. Minutes of the last meeting

2.1 The minutes of the last meeting were agreed and signed.

3. Matters arising

3.1 It was noted that the Committee had responded to the Ofcom consultation on the Future of Children’s Television.

3.2 Presentations from the Strategy Away Day had not been circulated to members as the topics have been since formalised into the draft Annual Plan.

4. Director's Report

4.1 The Director presented his report.

4.2 The Committee welcomed the Audio Description campaign being supported by Ofcom.

4.3 Members expressed concern about the future availability of HDTV on Freeview. The Director noted that the recent consultation on the future of Digital Terrestrial Television had proposed to clear one of the PSB multiplexes in order to make room for additional Freeview channels, including HD channels.

4.4 Members noted the growth of broadband TV and its dependence on a reliable and fast broadband connection. Members expressed the view that this demonstrated the importance of the rollout of Next Generation broadband networks, particularly in rural areas, to ensure equity of services.

4.5 Members noted the public debate on the availability of RTÉ radio in Northern Ireland and discussed the future availability of RTÉ television channels, which it was agreed had been part of the television landscape for decades and the general expectation was that this would continue.

5. Spectrum Update

5.1 The Director gave an update on spectrum issues, in Philip Morgan’s absence.

6. PSB Review

6.1 Jane Rumble presented (by video link) the headline research results on PSB viewing in Northern Ireland (and comparisons with other nations) which will form part of the PSB Phase 1 consultation document due to be published in the Spring.

6.2 Members discussed the research results over issues such as the quality of local programming and the importance of indigenous language programming. Members agreed that they would need time to consider the results in more detail.

7. Content Board update

7.1 Paul Moore gave members an overview (by telephone) of the Content Board’s current activity, noting that it focused on two key issues: firstly, the PSB Review and secondly, Media Literacy.

7.2 PSB review – Paul outlined issues of specific relevance to Northern Ireland, including indigenous language programming, local production and network portrayal. He also noted wider issues such as maintaining plurality of news and the role of PSBs in relation to non-broadcast content. Paul encouraged the Committee to put forward their views on all these issues.

7.3 Media Literacy – Paul explained his view that the ability to use digital media was so important that it should be regarded as a core literacy skill. In that respect, Paul claimed that Northern Ireland is ahead of other countries in the schools’ curriculum. Members noted that teachers, and adults in the workforce generally, needed to be given the necessary support and training in relation to digital media skills.

8. ‘Public Service Publisher’

8.1 Tom Loosemore updated the Committee (by video link) on the concept of a ‘Public Service Publisher’ originally proposed to help maintain a level of public service content. Tom noted that the PSB review, while focused on the health of linear broadcasting, would also consider public service content that was available online.

8.2 Members discussed how online public service content could be appropriately classified and presented.

9. Pay TV

9.1 Will Hayter, Steve Unger and Emma Taylor presented (by video link) a paper to the Committee outlining the investigation into the UK’s Pay TV market.

9.2 Members discussed the issue of rights for content, such as sporting events, and the issue of wholesale content availability.

10. Communications Market Report

10.1 Richard Howard, Nick Collins, Meleri Thomas and Hilary Anderson presented (by video link) an outline of the structure and research areas to be covered by the Northern Ireland Communications Market Report, due to be published in the Spring.

10.2 Members encouraged the research team to consider a detailed analysis of LLU, broadband availability, broadband speeds, mobile coverage, DAB radio and urban/rural patterns. Richard suggested an additional meeting with a sub-group of the Committee prior to publication to discuss the report’s progress. Action: Date to be confirmed for meeting with sub-group

11. Any Other Business

11.1 The Committee discussed upcoming Ofcom publications which would require a response from the Committee. Members agreed the membership of sub-groups for each topic which would draft the Committee’s responses.

Sub Group on PSB:
Wallace Ewart
Jim Dougal
Isolde Goggin
Maire Killoran

Sub Group on CMR:
Wallace Ewart
Sally Montgomery
Billy McClean
Lesley Orr

DDR – Wallace Ewart and Isolde Goggin would attend a briefing as representatives of the ACNI for all the Advisory Committees to be held in Riverside House on 11 March.

Date of next meeting: Wednesday 14 May 2008, at Landmark House

Documents tabled:

OCC Report
Consumer Panel Update
Ofcom publications timetable (February – May)