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Introduction

1.1 Under the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom is required to conduct a review of public service broadcasting (‘PSB’) at least once every five years. In September 2007 we commenced our second review of PSB, and published the first phase of our analysis on 10 April 2008.

1.2 Our research, analysis and proposals drew significant and extensive comment from stakeholders ranging from public service broadcasters (PSBs) and platform providers, to trade organisations, consumer and advisory groups, public bodies, Members of Parliament and individuals.

1.3 In total, we received around 270 formal responses to the consultation. Additionally we received around 13,000 individually signed postcards supporting the campaign for Border TV’s ‘Lookaround’ news programme, and around 2,500 postcards and 700 emails objecting to sharing the licence fee with other broadcasters. We have also welcomed the numerous online debates and comments made by individuals via the interactive executive summary of the consultation, and on our blog. We are grateful to all those who took the time and effort to convey their views to us and also to those respondents – including the public service broadcasters and the Satellite and Cable Broadcasting Group (SCBG) – who provided us with evidence from research they had conducted.

1.4 Those responses, campaigns and comments have given us a large amount of information and alternative options to consider. The purpose of this document is to provide stakeholders with a summary of responses. It does not address in detail all the comments that we received, nor does it set out our responses to all the issues that they raised. We will do this in the next phase of our analysis, which will be published in the autumn. Non-confidential versions of all responses can be viewed at www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/psb2_1/responses/

The structure of this document

• Section 2 provides an overview of what we said in the Phase 1 consultation document.
• Section 3 summarises the responses that we received to the specific questions that we asked in our consultation.
• Section 4 briefly describes what our next steps will be
• Annex 1 sets out the list of questions that we asked in our consultation document.
• Annex 2 lists those organisations (excluding individuals) who responded to the consultation.

The full document is available below:

• Public Service Broadcasting Review Phase 1 - Summary of consultation responses [pdf]
  Full print version published 17|07|08

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