TV and Radio Compliance Consultant
Many local, community and hospital radio stations (and local TV channels) in the UK rely on volunteers for their broadcasting. These volunteers are of varying ages and backgrounds. Many carry out essential roles producing and hosting programmes. All UK broadcasters… Continue
The decision by Ofcom that a performance by stand up comedian Toju Okorodudu (pictured) shown on Channel 7 breached the Broadcasting Code is interesting on several fronts. (See 29 August 2023 Bulletin). In a move that was never official or… Continue
John McAndrew (pictured) starts his new job as Director of News Programmes at the BBC this month. One of the important issues he must deal with is impartiality. That the BBC has – or had – a ‘problem’ in this… Continue
It is now a two months since Ofcom took the exceptional step on 31 March 2022 of suspending the broadcasting licence of the small Birmingham-based Sikh channel, KTV. The suspension forced the service off air immediately prior to probable revocation… Continue
This week’s Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin (443) has confirmed the trend. The Bulletin has been on a diet. Compared to Bulletins before the pandemic, there have been fewer Standards decisions published – whether breaches of the Broadcasting Code or other rules,… Continue
Margarita Simonyan, the feisty Editor-in-chief of RT (formerly Russia Today), may increasingly be having second thoughts about starting a legal challenge to Ofcom over its application of the due impartiality rules. In the first ever ruling by the Court of… Continue
A month ago Piers Morgan gave the thumbs up to Ofcom’s high profile ruling clearing him of breaching the Broadcasting Code over his comments about Meghan Markle on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. He acclaimed it as a ringing endorsement of… Continue
The vile racist online abuse directed at penalty takers Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after England’s defeat in the Euros final has focussed much needed attention again on the government’s Online Safety Bill, published on 12 May. Most… Continue
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