BBC/ITV/C4/C5 may no longer have public service broadcasting obligations - Polidicks

From the MediaGraun: [quote][img]http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Media/Pix/pictures/2010/10/14/1287055522268/Jeremy-Hunt-006.jpg[/img] Ofcom is to have a number of its powers curtailed including its responsibility for running regular reviews of public service broadcasting and media ownership rules, while S4C is to have its historic funding mechanism abolished. The culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, made the announcements today as part of sweeping changes that will see 19 of the 55 public bodies for which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible either abolished or significantly reformed. The DCMS also confirmed rumours that Postcomm, the postal services regulator, will be merged into Ofcom. Welsh-language public service broadcaster S4C is to have its funding mechanism, which sees its grant increase annually by the retail prices index, abolished; its budget will now be set directly by Hunt. "The government considers that this [funding mechanism] is unsustainable in the current financial climate and intends to change it so that the secretary of state will determine the level of funding," said the DCMS. S4C is expected to publish its submission to the DCMS on the impact of budget cuts of up to 40% later today. "Across government we are increasing the efficiency, transparency and accountability of public bodies, while at the same time cutting their number and cost," said Hunt. [b]Continued at [url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/oct/14/ofcom-scms-jeremy-hunt[/url][/b][/quote] Or if you happen to like bullet points more: [list] [*]The government will say when media ownership and public service requirement reviews (usually "30% subtitled for the deaf, 30% factual, etc.") for BBC-1/2/ITV/C4/S4C/C5 will happen... [*]...which could be never, or as often as may happen. [*]Same said channels shall no longer have to submit an annual programme policy. [*]The government will also decide when the next ITV/Channel 5 licensee selection will happen, seeing as the current ones were almost finished anyway (a pity, really - ITV plc will never hand in their licence and fuck off forever from terrestrial now) [*]The Welsh Language Society shall start demolishing transmitters again until Welsh broadcasting is devolved. [/list] The worse-case scenario IMO is none are ever done and the UK television industry is effectively deregulated for content and the status quo is cemented (the sole exception being regulations violations). At this point I'd fear Murdoch, and the BBC (and Channel 4, to a certain extent) being dragged down by ITV and C5 similarly to 1990. "Okay" would be getting them done regularly and even then the process is very prone to political will. [b]terrestrial licencees have public service commitments that require them to produce a variety of programmes. before ofcom was created out of the ashes of the ITC a regulator existed who was required to constantly do these reviews until Thatcher passed broadcasting bill '90.[/b]

Wait, so the people who only use the standard five channels might have that taken away from them because the broadcasting companies wont be obligated to, well, broadcast? That seems a bit off.

This is an odd ordeal indeed.

Not stop broadcasting entirely - but stop broadcasting the variety of programmes that the current set of public service obligations (not that you can tell though) require.

[QUOTE=XSarcYX;25399641]Wait, so the people who only use the standard five channels might have that taken away from them because the broadcasting companies wont be obligated to, well, broadcast? That seems a bit off.[/QUOTE] No, currently those programs are under obligations to show a certain amount of public service programs meaning the news, but under new proposed regulation they won't have to, this saves money. [editline]14th October 2010[/editline] OP is very misleading.

[img]http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Media/Pix/pictures/2010/10/14/1287055522268/Jeremy-Hunt-006.jpg[/img] "yippee"

[QUOTE=Coffee;25399781]No, currently those programs are under obligations to show a certain amount of public service programs meaning the news, but under new proposed regulation they won't have to, this saves money. [editline]14th October 2010[/editline] OP is very misleading.[/QUOTE] Wrong - the BBC(1) is public service in remit and so Ofcom will/was regulate them at will along with strict "variety" requirements. Channel 3 was meant to compete against BBC and has the same obligations. Channel 4 is supposed to provide what the Channel 3 licencees don't as well as schools programming - the same applies to BBC-2 in regard to BBC-1. Channel 5 only has nominal content obligations - some extra work for the impaired, factual, current affairs, minority, etc. In either case I don't believe money should be the bottom line here, as desirable as it is - general entertainment channels have the obligation to serve a variety of programmes in spirit (like ILR don't, I suppose) which includes both the populist as well as the minority as terrestrial is the LCD platform. What happens on cable/satellite I don't care about as long as plurality of ownership is respected like any other platform and BSkyB is working very, very hard to dominate in this regard (along with ILR news, oddly enough). PSB = news is a very myopic viewpoint indeed.

[QUOTE=XSarcYX;25399641]Wait, so the people who only use the standard five channels might have that taken away from them because the broadcasting companies wont be obligated to, well, broadcast? That seems a bit off.[/QUOTE] No-one has just the standard 5 channels any more. :colbert:

[QUOTE=Braaaaains;25400256]No-one has just the standard 5 channels any more. :colbert:[/QUOTE] My uncle still has an analog portable he's going to watch Pages from Ceefax on until it dies in 2012 :colbert: [editline]14th October 2010[/editline] In all seriousness, though, I do prefer the old teletext services to digital teletext.

I have never used digital text. Teletext was the easy way to go. However, there should be one huge digital server supplying the same service to all. Dependant on how much you pay. End of rivalry, end of foolishness. Virgin have one upped every other provider with its internet and tv box.

... and there are still some people who pay for black-and-white broadcasts