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26|01|04

Ofcom to hold seminars on public service television across the country

Ofcom today announced a series of six public research seminars in locations around the UK as part of its comprehensive 12 month review of public service broadcasting.

Taking part in the seminars will be individuals from local communities who will be contributing in a structured day of discussion and analysis, and then be asked for their views on a range of options for public service broadcasting in the UK today. Their opinions will play a key part in informing the various research components of the review, and will help add depth to the results of Ofcom's comprehensive survey of 6,000 respondents (announced on 6 November 2003).

Ed Richards, Ofcom's senior partner leading the project, said: "We want to hear everybody's views, their concerns, needs and expectations for future public service broadcasting. These seminars will help us capture the views of people throughout the UK who are the most avid consumers of television but are often excluded from the broader debate about its future."

Each seminar will be attended by a member of Ofcom's Content Board, a senior representative of the public service broadcasting project team and experts from the broadcasting sector.

The events will take place in:

• Leeds - 29 January
• Norwich - 5 February
• Belfast - 11 February
• Plymouth - 17 February
• Swansea - 19 February
• Glasgow - 24 February

In parallel, Ofcom will also be holding a series of discussion meetings with interested parties from industry, consumer groups and broadcasters to hear their views on the contribution of public service broadcasters in key genres such as news, sports, children and education, and also in areas such as citizenship, culture and democracy.

To help the wider debate there is now a special public service broadcast review area on Ofcom's website (see Related Items). Viewers can give their views on the programmes and public service television agreed by filling in the form on the website.

Notes to Editors

1. A paper based general leaflet is available on public service broadcasting (PSB) on request for viewers who do not have access to the web.
2. Ofcom has a duty under the Communications Act 2003 to undertake a review of PSB television which will include preparation for maintaining and strengthening PSB.
3. The PSB project consists of a 12-month programme broken into three phases with significant consultation at the end of phases one and two and separate reports at the end of phases one, two and three. The phases are:
• Phase one (Oct 03 to spring 04)
• Phase two (spring 04 to summer 04)
• Phase three (summer 04 to autumn 04)
4. Ofcom is the regulator for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. Ofcom exists to further the interests of citizen-consumers as the communications industries enter the digital age.

Our duties include:

• The promotion of choice, quality and value in electronic communications services, where appropriate by encouraging competition between the providers of those services
• Ensuring the most efficient use of the radiocommunications spectrum - the airwaves used for the transmission of all non-military wireless communications services
• Ensuring a wide range of electronic communications services, including broadband, is available across the UK
• Ensuring a wide range of TV and radio programmes of high quality and wide appeal
• Maintaining plurality in the media by ensuring a sufficiently broad range of ownership
• The protection of audiences against offensive or harmful material, unfairness or the infringement of privacy on TV and radio

Ofcom has taken over the responsibilities and has assumed the powers of the five former regulators it has replaced - the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission, Oftel, the Radio Authority and the Radiocommunications Agency.

An independent regulatory body, Ofcom will fulfil the additional duties enacted in the provisions laid down in the Communications Act 2003.

For further details please visit www.ofcom.org.uk.

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