TV and Radio Compliance Consultant
Ofcom no longer has a place to hide. It must soon take sides in the increasingly divisive “culture wars” in the UK. This is because the regulator must shortly take a decision on the high profile complaint by Meghan Markle,… Continue
This Christmas all British broadcasters can breathe a sigh of relief. Ofcom finally published (18 December 2020) their new rules placing new obligations on TV and radio channels to look after adults in their programmes – like tragic Steve Dymond… Continue
If broadcasters needed yet another stern warning about the grave dangers of transmitting ‘confessions’ by individuals without carrying out reasonable checks first, then Ofcom has provided it. The regulator has upheld a complaint by a Qatari intelligence officer, Hamad Al-Hammadi… Continue
Last week EU Commission President, Ursula Van Der Leyen, made her most optimistic comments yet on the Brexit trade talks. But as her mask, and the covid lockdowns being imposed across Europe, underline the preeminent focus of European governments is… Continue
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