ITC Welcomes Government Broadcasting Bill

The Independent Television Commission has issued a statement in response to the new Broadcasting Bill, welcoming all the main points.

In particular, David Glencross, Chief Executive, has highlighted the ITC’s responsibilities in licensing and regulating new digital terrestrial services. He also said “The ITC is also pleased to see that the more liberal ownership provisions are subject to a wide-ranging public interest test… the criterion of audience share is a more accurate method of assessing influence than one based on the number of licences held”.

With regard to C4’s funding formula, the ITC said that “Given the size of payments which will be made to ITV by Channel 4 by the end of 1997, the funding formula should then be set at zero, but the mechanism for transfer payments either way should remain in place as per the 1990 Broadcasting Act.” With regard to the proposals which strengthen ITC powers to protect regional programming in the event of mergers and takeovers, the ITC would also like those powers extended to cover the point at which a C3 regional licence is renewed whether or not a merger or takeover has taken place.

ITC: 0171 2553000