CRCA Publishes Report On Role Of OFCOM

The Commercial Radio Companies Association (CRCA) has published a report in the hope of stimulating debate on the shape, approach and duties of OFCOM.

Among the points made in OFCOM: Deregulating Commercial Radio are that the BBC should fall completely within the OFCOM remit, echoing the feelings of others in the industry, including the IPA (see IPA Conference Brings Pan Industry Agreement) and ISBA (see ISBA Calls For BBC Ofcom Inclusion) . The report also says, among other points, that substantive changes in cross-media ownership rules could encourage industry development; that OFCOM’s approach should recognise the Government’s wish to be as deregulatory as possible and that the current licensing system should be maintained for new analogue licences, but that analogue licences should last for 12 rather than 8 years, like digital licences.

Paul Brown, chief executive of the CRCA, said: “If OFCOM is to succeed it must be more than a rearrangement of the current five regulators. The Towers Perrin ‘Scoping Project’ has been the only published thinking so far, and it was short on detail on the role, tasks and approach of the new regulator. This vacuum in consideration prompted us to produce this report, which we hope will stimulate a wider debate about the shape and structure of OFCOM. We look forward to playing a full part in that debate.”

The formation of OFCOM will come as part of the Communications Bill, which Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has told MPs will receive a parliamentary reading by the end of this year and estimates that it will become law by the following year (see Government Reiterates Cross-Media Relaxation Plans)

CRCA: 020 7306 2603 www.crca.co.uk

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