No Impetus Lost In Bill Delay, Says Jowell
Tessa Jowell, recently appointed as Secretary of State for culture, media and sport, has said that “No impetus has been lost” by having the Communications Bill carried over to next year’s parliament. Pointing to the fact that the final bill would be the result of three years of consultation, she added: “The work continues apace and we are looking now at practical measures to get the core of OFCOM up and running quickly.”
Jowell was speaking at the Radio Academy’s Radio Festival in Manchester today, where she set out the current position of the DCMS on issues including regulation and public service broadcasting. On the subject of OFCOM, she assured the assembled members of the radio industry that she was aware of concerns about “radio broadcasting matters becoming lost in OFCOM” and that her department would continue to bear this in mind.
Recognising the industry’s eagerness for an analogue switchover target in radio, she said, “There is still some way to go before we can consider switchover. It is too early in digital radio development to make firm plans.” She added that the review due to occur by the fourth anniversary of the first commercial radio multiplex would take place in Autumn 2003.
The minister stated that the government was “committed to the development of digital radio”, but acknowledged that there were still “challenges ahead” to develop radio that consumers wanted, communicate the benefits of the technology and overcome the cost barrier to take-up.
The issue of public service broadcasting was the major concern behind Jowell’s speech. Describing radio as a “huge success story”, she stressed that “protecting and enhancing diversity is now a central aim of our policy in relation to radio.” Recognising the part that commercial radio has played, she nevertheless warned: “The free market has done a lot, but without careful regulation we may well have seen quality and diversity decline. The market would have driven convergence of output, with stations sounding more and more the same and less and less willing to take risks.”
Acknowledging the difference digital stations will make in the future, she went on: “Commercial stations must be allowed to innovate and entertain without being crowded out by the BBC, by indiscriminate take-over and mergers, or by being priced out of the market.”
Jowell also took the opportunity to confirm that the consultation period for the BBC’s application for new licences will be extended until 27 July. “I will then take a decision promptly and I hope to announce it by the end of August or early September.”
“The BBC must show how the new services contribute to its core purposes.” she said, adding that they must not be used as an excuse to move minority broadcasting from the main national services or duplicate what the commercial sector is doing. “The onus is on the BBC to show that their services are distinctive and not just designed to undercut the commercial sector.”
DCMS: 020 7211 6200 www.culture.gov.uk
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