Home > Contacting Ofcom > Information about Ofcom for Students

Students and researchers area

You should be able to find most, if not all, the information you need about Ofcom on our website. The links below are designed to take you quickly to background information on the subjects for research purposes.

Ofcom’s role and structure
Latest documents and news releases
Frequently Asked Questions
Annual Plan
Annual Report
Market research
Legacy regulators
Broadcast legislation
Content regulation
Illegal broadcasting
Advertising
Mobile phones and health

Ofcom’s role and structure

Information about Ofcom's role can be found at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/sdrp/ and there are more details about Ofcom's structure at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/csg/

Latest documents and news releases

You can find all of our latest documents at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/latest/?sector=All For more detailed searches of our many documents, use the Advanced Search engine at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/find_document/
You can also find all of Ofcom's news releases at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/

Frequently Asked Questions

Some outline Media Office Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which might be useful can be found at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/mofaq/

Annual Plan

Every year we publish an Annual Plan setting out what we want to achieve in the year ahead - you can find this at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/accoun/reports_plans/

Annual Report

Our Annual Report is a more detailed guide to Ofcom's work. This is retrospective, looking back at the previous year, but may be useful - it is at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/accoun/reports_plans/

Market research

The information on this page includes a range of research giving background information on the markets regulated by Ofcom. More research is available from our research page or subject menus on the Ofcom home page.
Ofcom’s Communications Market Reports include data on the television, radio and telecommunications industries and also cover topical issues such as cable and MVNOs. There are also separate telecommunications data tables.
Radio
- The iPod Generation: Devices and Desires of the Next Generation of Radio Listeners
- Radio Review: Preparing for the Future
Television
- Digital television updates include statistics on the take-up of digital television in the UK.
- The Ofcom Review of Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) Television includes research on digital local services and the UK nations.
- Television Production Sector Review
Telecommunications

Legacy regulators

If you need access to the archives from the legacy broadcasting, telecommunications or spectrum regulators you can find them at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/regulator_archives/

Broadcast legislation

The legislation that covers television and radio broadcasting includes:
UK broadcasting rules are also affected by European legislation
Report for Ofcom on the proposed extension of the Television without Frontiers directive by Indepen, Ovum and Fathom September 2005

Content regulation

The Ofcom Broadcasting Code sets standards for the content of television and radio broadcasts.
Ofcom also gives guidance on the code for broadcasters.
Information on complaints made about programmes under the code may be found in the Ofcom Broadcast Bulletins.
For older complaints, see ITC complaints and BSC complaints (Ofcom’s predecessor regulators).
Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code Research includes research on issues such as the portrayal of violence, sexual imagery, drugs and the protection of children and young people.

Illegal broadcasting

Illegal Broadcasting FAQs
Background information and statistics
Ofcom tackles illegal broadcasting
Ofcom’s Guide to the use of radio transmitters and the law covers the relevant legislation.
An alternative to illegal broadcasting: Ofcom sets out approach to Community Radio licensing and regulation

Advertising

Since 2004, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) have assumed responsibility for television and radio advertising under a co-regulatory system. Further information on this is available from the Memorandum of Understanding between the parties.
Current advertising regulations:
- Advertising codes (on the ASA website)
- Rules on the amount and distribution of advertising

Mobile phones and health

Ofcom does not have any duties related to health and safety therefore we are unable to give any specific advice about the possible health effects of using mobile communications.
In the UK, the Health Protection Agency has been given the responsibility by Government for providing information and advice to the public and Government Departments in relation to the possible health effects of electromagnetic fields. Ofcom's Sitefinder website for mobile phone information contains a number of links to reports and advice by the HPA and the Department of Health in its 'related sites' area.
For information about how mobile phone masts work, and links to information on health, see the Mobile Operators Association web site.