Home > About Ofcom > Corporate Structure and Governance > Advisory Committees for the Nations > Advisory Committee for N Ireland > Notes of meetings > 8/9 September

04|04|06

Minutes of the Seventh meeting of the Ofcom Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland

Members Present:

Sinead Boyle

Carol Burrows

David Elliott

Wallace Ewart – Chairman

Michael McKernan

Jane Morrice

Una Murphy

Leslie Orr

Glyn Roberts

Apologies:

Rosemary Kelly Content Board Member for Northern Ireland

Brian Collins Member of the Committee

Mags Connolly Member of the Committee

Gerard Parr Member of the Committee

In attendance:

Kevin McLaughlin – Ofcom Consumer Panel

Mark Bunting – Ofcom, London

Andrew Heaney – Ofcom, London

Graham Howell – Ofcom, London

Joanne McMullan – Ofcom, Northern Ireland

Philip Morgan – Ofcom, Northern Ireland

Denis Wolinski – Ofcom, Northern Ireland

Other Ofcom colleague (name withheld from published minutes)

Representative from St Mary’s Primary School, Tempo

Dr Paul Moore – University of Ulster, Coleraine

1. Welcome and Apologies

1.1 Denis Wolinski welcomed all present to the seventh meeting of the Ofcom Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland and advised that Wallace Ewart was now the new Chairman of the Committee.

1.2 The new Chairman registered apologies for Brian Collins, Mags Connolly, Gerard Parr and Rosemary Kelly, Content Board Member for Northern Ireland.

1.3 The Chairman thanked Ofcom NI for circulating the minutes of the last meeting promptly and requested that future agendas be circulated approximately four weeks before each meeting in order that members had the opportunity to add items/prepare for the meeting. He also asked that members start to give some thought to agenda items and speakers for the 2006 meetings.

Action: Request noted.

1.4 The Chairman requested that Ofcom NI ensure that members are sent regular links to summaries of all relevant Ofcom publications, statements and consultations.

Action: Request noted.

1.5 The Chairman requested that Committee members re-confirm the groups of interest in which they wish to participate.

Action: Ofcom NI to circulate note on groups for clarification.

2. Minutes of last meeting/Matters arising

2.1 The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.

Action: Joanne McMullan to re-circulate links to Regional Production Fund information.

3. Strategic Review of Telecoms

3.1 Andrew Heaney gave a presentation on the Strategic Review of Telecoms

3.2 The Committee asked for clarification on several points including the rationale for treating BT NI differently from the rest of the UK; the timetable for 21 CN rollout in NI; and the prospect for new entrants to the NI market.

3.3 Members showed particular interest in the arrangements for ensuring BT compliance in NI.

4. Director’s Report

4.1 Denis Wolinski presented his Director’s Report.

4.2 Members welcomed the Production Sector Review and it was agreed that the question of training in this sector should be raised as part of the ongoing discussion surrounding this Review.

4.3 On the question of Media Literacy members were reminded that the Silver Surfers campaign begins again in Northern Ireland during w/c September 12.

5. Broadcasting Code

5.1 Joanne McMullan gave an overview of Ofcom’s new Broadcasting Code.

5.2 Members welcomed the new Code and were particularly interested in the provision for protection of under 18s and the continued ban on R18 material.

6. Spectrum Operations Update

6.1 Philip Morgan gave an update on Ofcom Northern Ireland’s work in spectrum operations.

Members expressed interest in the possibility of CADS licences being available to other groups such as schools; the dangers of mobile phones being used on aircraft; and the ongoing television reception issues in the Aughnacloy area following the rollout of TETRA.

Philip also reported on ongoing work to recover illegal cordless phones and on liaison with ComReg over illegal radio stations.

7. Strategy Away Day

7.1 It was agreed that Wallace Ewart and Sinead Boyle would represent the Committee at the Strategy Away Day in London on 14 October.

7.2 There was discussion on which topics to highlight at the event. Generally Committee members felt that Ofcom’s work in the coming year should focus on consumer education and information and general awareness raising of the organisation’s remit and limits in relation to consumers.

7.3 It was subsequently agreed that regulation of the internet, provision of consumer information, and the organisation of a communications conference would be raised at the Away Day on 14 October.

8. Nations and Regions Audit

8.1 Mark Bunting gave a presentation on Ofcom’s proposed Nations and Regions Audit.

8.2 Members welcomed the Audit and agreed to engage with Ofcom over the provision of details of various sources of information.

Action: Committee to agree on members to assist with Audit.

9. PSB Review Update

9.1 Mark Bunting provided an update on work arising from the recent Public Service Broadcasting Review.

10. Consumer Panel Update

10.1 Kevin McLaughlin,Consumer Panel Member for Northern Ireland, provided an update on the work of the Ofcom Consumer Panel. He explained that there had been some difficulty, owing to sickness or to clashes of dates, over attending some earlier ACNI meetings.

10.2 Kevin understood that in future meetings of the Consumer Panel and Content Board would be timed so as not to clash with ACNI meetings, enabling him to attend.

10.3 It was also agreed that Kevin McLaughlin would do a brief update for each ACNI meeting.

11. OCC Report

11.1 Joanne McMullan tabled a report from the Ofcom Contact Centre detailing activity for the last three months.

11.2 Members questioned provision for consumers to avoid silent/marketing calls.

12. Media Literacy Update

12.1 Paul Moore of the University of Ulster and a representative of St Mary’s Primary School, Tempo gave a presentation on a school-based media literacy project part-funded by Ofcom.

12.2 Members welcomed the excellent work carried out by both parties, an exemplar project using media literacy to raise awareness of the communications media, to build confidence and which seemed to result in a measurable increase in academic achievement.

13. Any Other Business

13.1 It was agreed that Ofcom NI would send out a list of possible dates for meetings in 2006.

13.2 It was also agreed that Ofcom NI would invite Peter Black, the Telecoms Adjudicator, to address the ACNI. (Peter is not available on 15 December so the date will be a stand-alone.)

13.3 The next meeting will be held at Landmark House on Thursday 15 December 2005.

Action: JMcM to follow-up on meeting dates as above.