TV and Radio Compliance Consultant
Ofcom’s decision (Bulletin 406) to find China’s state TV station broke fairness and privacy rules by broadcasting the ‘forced confession’ of British former journalist Peter Humphrey (pictured) has thrust the regulator onto the sharp horns of a high profile sanctions… Continue
Ofcom’s decision to find that China’s UK broadcasting channel CGTN breached the impartiality rules on five occasions, and impose a sanction, could not be more timely. It is published (Bulletin 403) when some Western sentiment has turned against Peking in… Continue
Congratulations to Alison Marsden on being appointed today to take over from Tony Close (who suddenly resigned on 22 April and moved to a senior job at Facebook) as Ofcom’s new Director of Content Standards. As I know from working… Continue
Ofcom’s decision this week that a presenter on a Monmouthshire local radio station breached the Broadcasting Code, by making derisive remarks about singer Sam Smith coming out as non-binary and wishing to be referred to as “they” rather than he… Continue
The momentous decision in the judicial review case brought by Russian broadcaster RT against Ofcom has not been given the attention it deserves. Hardly surprising in some ways because it was published on 27 March, five days into the UK’s… Continue
Ofcom alerted broadcasters it would take quick and firm action against TV or radio channels transmitting harmful and misleading information about coronavirus – and it has followed through on its warning. A guest on the community radio station at Uckfield… Continue
This is worrying time for broadcasters when they are making numerous programmes – news, current affairs or documentaries – against the clock about this unprecedented and controversial health and economic emergency. When Senior Standards Manager at Ofcom for a decade… Continue
Ofcom have clearly accepted (without admitting it) that they do not have the statutory powers to introduce the new and totally disproportionate rules in Section Two of the Broadcasting Code they originally proposed in August 2019. These would have imposed… Continue
Ofcom’s high profile consultation proposing to impose a new obligation on all TV and radio broadcasters to take due care of all adults participating in all their programmes (except drama) closes on 23 September. (See my previous blog of 9… Continue