Regulators Work Together to Lay the Foundations for OFCOM

The five communications regulators that will form OFCOM welcomed today’s announcement in the Queen’s Speech that a full draft of the Communications Bill will be published in the current Parliamentary session.

To coincide with this announcement, the Chief Executives of the five regulators – Broadcasting Standards Commission, Independent Television Commission, Oftel, Radiocommunications Agency and the Radio Authority – have appointed Towers Perrin, one of the world’s largest management consulting firms, to map the process for setting up the new regulator.

The consultants will report to a steering group on which all five Chief Executives sit, as well as the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The work is scheduled for completion by the end of August 2001.

The five Chief Executives – Paul Bolt (BSC), David Edmonds (Oftel), David Hendon (Radiocommunications Agency), Patricia Hodgson (ITC) and Tony Stoller (Radio Authority) said:

"This is an extremely exciting project. It will help us to turn the proposals for OFCOM as set out in the White Paper into reality.

"We need to get the vision and the initial strategy right if we are to develop a new, streamlined regulator appropriate for this dynamic and complex industry.

"Our organisations are strongly committed to working together in setting up OFCOM, and we are very pleased to have appointed Towers Perrin to assist us in this crucially important exercise."

2. The Broadcasting Standards Commission is the statutory body for both standards and fairness in broadcasting. It is the only organisation within the regulatory framework of UK broadcasting to cover all television and radio, both terrestrial and satellite. This includes text, cable and digital services. It has three main tasks, as established by the 1996 Broadcasting Act:

3. The Independent Television Commission licences and regulates all television services broadcasting in or from the UK, other than BBC licence fee funded services and S4C in Wales. It exists to promote and safeguard the interests of all viewers of commercially funded television, whilst fostering a dynamic and innovative market place.

4. Oftel is the independent regulator for the UK telecommunications industry. Oftel promotes the interests of consumers, monitors and enforces the conditions of all telecommunications licences and ensures that telecoms services are provided in the UK to meet all reasonable demands.

5. The Radio Authority is responsible for licensing and regulating Independent Radio in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996. It plans frequencies, awards licences, regulates programming and advertising, and plays an active role in the discussion and formulation of policies which affect the Independent Radio Industry and its listeners.

6. The Radiocommunications Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry and is responsible for: formulating policy on the planning and management of the UK radio spectrum; co-ordinating UK views and participating in international negotiations on the use of radio; authorising use of radio by licensing or exemption; formulating technical and operating standards for radio; and enforcement of legislation on the use of radio equipment and investigation of radio interference.