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1.1 The ITV Networking Arrangements (the ‘NWA’) are a set of arrangements between ITV Network Ltd (‘ITV’) and the 15 regional Channel 3 licensees (now under the ownership of ITV plc[^(-1-)], SMG plc[^(-2-)], Ulster Television plc (‘UTV’) and Channel Television Ltd (‘Channel’)). They are designed to coordinate the provision of a national television service capable of competing effectively with other broadcasters in the UK.

1.2 The NWA are currently comprised of five principal documents:

• the Network Supply Contract (the ‘NSC’) - specifies each regional licensee’s share of contribution to the Network Programme Budget;
• the Network Programme Licence (the ‘NPL’) – is the standard form of contract for use by the Network Centre (‘NWC’) when it commissions a programme from a regional licensee;
• the Tripartite Commissioning, Production and Compliance Agreement (‘the Tripartite Agreement’) – is the contractual arrangement used by the NWC when it commissions a programme from an independent producer;
• the Network Centre Statement of Principles - deals with the control of network policy by the licensees, the implementation of that policy by the NWC, the selection of programmes, the budget and the supply of a network schedule and provides for the NWC to be organised within the management structure of ITV Network Ltd; and
• the Network Centre Code of Practice - ensures that information about above procedures is disseminated fully to guarantee an even-handed treatment of in-house and independent producers with respect to programme commissioning.

1.3 Under section 293 of the Communications Act 2003 (the ‘Act’), Ofcom has a statutory duty from time to time to carry out a general review of the Networking Arrangements currently in force. The first such review must be carried out no later than six months after the date when the digital replacement licence offers close. These offers were closed at the end of November 2004.

1.4 As part of its review process, Ofcom published a consultation on 28 February 2005 (the ‘February Consultation’)[^(-3-)] which set out proposals for the future of the ITV Networking Arrangements. The February Consultation offered sets of options for issues affecting arrangements in relation to external third parties (‘external arrangements’), and issues relating to arrangements or agreements between the licensees (‘intra-ITV arrangements’).

1.5 In relation to external arrangements, Ofcom put forward a series of options and invited responses. In relation to intra-ITV arrangements, Ofcom set out more generally a set of issues rather than specific proposals and invited ITV as a whole to come forward with proposals to address these issues.

1.6 In relation to the external arrangements, Ofcom proposed:

• amendments to the Network Centre Code of Practice to incorporate explicitly either the 2004 Code of Practice for commissioning from independent producers or the principles contained in it;
• ensuring that the Network Centre Code of Practice provides for an independent dispute resolution mechanism;
• enshrining the principle of an independent commissioning process into the NWA;
• requiring that core functions of the ITV Network Centre are carried out by employees of ITV Network Centre rather than employees of ITV Broadcast or ITV plc; and
• requiring that the ability of Network Council to amend the Statement of Principles without Ofcom’s approval is removed.

1.7 Ofcom also advised that depending on which option(s) Ofcom ultimately selects following completion of the review, changes may be needed to be made by the regional Channel 3 licensees to their existing arrangements. Accordingly, Ofcom advised that it would need to review such arrangements in advance of giving its formal approval.

1.8 Ofcom’s February Consultation invited the views of industry stakeholders including, but not limited to, the Channel 3 licensees, independent producers of programming and other free-to-air broadcasters on its proposals. Ofcom received seven formal responses, all of which are confidential. Ofcom also attended discussions on the matters raised by the February Consultation involving all the licensees, and has subsequently also accepted documents jointly submitted by licensees as a result of these meetings.

1.9 Ofcom has now taken account of all submissions provided in response to the February Consultation, and concludes the following:

For External Arrangements

1. The proposals set out in Option 2 of the February Consultation are appropriate, namely the following changes to the NWA:

(a) ITV Network Centre incorporating the 2004 Code of Practice for commissioning from independent producers or the principles contained within it into the NWA and extending it to cover all producers, both Channel 3 licensees and external qualifying and non qualifying independents, to ensure that they would be treated on an equivalent basis;

(b) ITV plc incorporating the commitments made to the ITC at the time of the Carlton-Granada merger in relation to the independence of the commissioning process, including the arms-length nature of the process for programme price negotiations between the ITV Network Centre and all programme suppliers into the NWA. This could be done through incorporating the principle of an independent commissioning process into the ITV Network Statement of Principles, and removing the ability of Council to amend the Statement of Principles without Ofcom’s approval;

(c) Ensuring that the Code of Practice provides for an independent dispute resolution mechanism;

(d) Measures to ensure that employees within the core functions of ITV Network Centre are employees of ITV Network Centre and have clear management reporting lines within Network Centre; and

(e) Simplification of the reporting arrangements for the operation of the Networking Arrangements to require quarterly reports on only the contracts signed,

subject to the following caveats:

(i) That Ofcom will consider whether the approach adopted of extending the 2004 Code of Practice to cover all producers should also be applied to other PSBs. This will be covered in the Review of the Programme Production Sector; and

(ii) Ofcom considered ITV’s proposal to remove the Tripartite Agreement (TA) and Network Programme Licence (NPL) from the NWA, but concluded that at this time such removal would be inappropriate. However, once agreed, the new Terms of Trade may then provide scope for the removal of the TA and NPL, if requested by licensees.

For Intra-ITV Arrangements

1. Four high level principles should underpin the arrangements:

(a) non-consolidated licensees should be safeguarded against unfair treatment by ITV plc in respect of arrangements for the sharing of costs for services purchased from third parties;

(b) non-consolidated licensees should be safeguarded against unfair treatment by ITV plc in respect of arrangements for the fees charged for services purchased from ITV plc;

(c) non-consolidated licensees should be safeguarded against unfair treatment by ITV plc in respect of the sharing of programme costs between ITV1 and ITV plc owned channels, and the provision of ITV Network services to ITV plc owned channels; and

(d) commitments to support regional programming obligations should be strengthened.

2. The following actions by the ITV licensees are sufficient to address our concerns regarding cost sharing transfers:

(a) A new version of the Statement of Principles so that it articulates the principles outlined by Ofcom, which will then apply generally to all cost sharing arrangements;

(b) Continuation of the provision of the core functions by ITV Network to all licensees. If paid for on a QR basis, rather than on the basis of a fixed fee, the non-consolidated licensees should be provided with fully transparent budget information and audit rights. This would include details of any cross-charging arrangements.

(c) Introduction of a service agreement, to sit outside of the NWA, which the licensees will collectively negotiate. The agreement will be between ITV Network, ITV plc and the non-consolidated licensees and will outline the non-regulated activities that ITV Network (potentially via ITV plc) will carry out on behalf of all licensees. The non-core services will be provided at a fixed price, subject to increases in line with RPI.

3. For regional programming obligations, the NSC should be amended to reflect the principle of “no play, no pay”. This revises current arrangements within the NSC under which, licensees in the Nations opting out of the national network schedule in order to comply with their regional licence obligations pay for programmes whether or not they broadcast them. In future where a national licensee opts out of the network schedule in order to meet its regional programme licence obligations, and does not subsequently transmit the programme concerned in an alternative slot, the licensee will not be required to pay for the programme concerned.

4. For programme compliance, the choice of compliance licensee should be made by the producer, whilst the compliance fee should be cost-oriented so that an efficient competitor or new entrant would be able to compete.

Footnotes:

1.- ITV plc brings under common ‘ownership’ the seven regional licences held by Granada plc and the four regional licences held by Carlton Communications plc (‘Carlton’). Granada Group plc (‘Granada’) obtained its first commercial television licence in 1954, registered as Granada, and later acquired London Weekend Television Ltd (‘LWT’), Yorkshire Television Ltd (‘Yorkshire TV’), Tyne Tees Television Ltd (‘Tyne Tees TV’), Anglia TV, Meridian TV and Border. Carlton Communications Ltd acquired its first commercial television licence in 1991, registered as Carlton Broadcasting Limited (‘Carlton TV’), and later acquired Central Independent Television Ltd (‘Central’), HTV Group Ltd (‘HTV’) and Westcountry Television Ltd (‘Westcountry’).

2.- SMG plc owns Grampian Television Ltd (‘Grampian’) and Scottish Television Ltd (‘Scottish TV’), the two Scottish regional licensees.

3.- Ofcom consultation Review of ITV Networking Arrangements 28 February 2005: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/itv/

The full document is available below

• Review of ITV Networking Arrangements : Statement [pdf]
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