ITC Recommends Extension Of Moratorium

The Independent Television Commission yesterday submitted evidence to the National Heritage Committee on the operation of the Broadcasting Act 1990.

The ITC recommended that the moratorium should be extended for a further two years, during which time all the ownership rules should be reviewed together, and the possibility be considered of allowing the regulator greater discretion to prevent undue concentrations of power in the media.

The ITC also recommended that the government should reconsider the cross-holding restrictions between television licensees and newspapers as soon as possible. It was also requested that the ITC’s regulatory role should not be further complicated or undermined by any new body for responding to viewer’s concerns.

However, a conflicting view was presented to the National Heritage Committee from Charles Allen, chief executive of Granada, who told the committee that only large and strong merged companies could withstand the threat of European takeovers. He recommended that the moratorium should end and the rule preventing mergers should be lifted.

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