UK media regulator Ofcom is seeking evidence to help determine whether there is a need to reform rules that restrict the amount of advertising shown on public service broadcasters’ TV channels. All UK broadcasters are subject to restrictions on the quantity and scheduling of advertising on their channels. But under rules introduced over 30 years […]

Ofcom has published the latest league tables of complaints it has received about the UK’s major broadband, mobile and pay-TV firms. The report reveals the number of complaints made to the media regulator in the first quarter of this year, from January to March. “While the overall level of complaints has been consistently low over recent […]

Suggesting the changes would limit the powers of the Secretary of State to interfere in the work of the independent regulator Ofcom, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (DCMS) of the UK House of Commons has put forward amendments to the Government’s proposed online safety legislation. The amendments to the Online Safety Bill, which […]

Ofcom has confirmed that the frequency and length of commercial breaks on UK television channels are to be reassessed in light of evolving viewing habits and the rise of streaming services. Current rules state that, for ITV/STV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, the total amount of advertising in any one day must not exceed an […]

UK broadcast regulator Ofcom believes ITV and Channel 5 should retain their PSB licences.  It has assessed whether the holders of the Channel 3 and Channel 5 licences will be able to fulfil their public service broadcasting obligations at a commercially sustainable cost, over the next ten-year licence period. The Secretary of State now has […]

UK comms regulator Ofcom has received an application from Canadian satellite operator Telesat for an Earth Station Network Licence for its Lightspeed satellite constellation. This application is to allow the deployment of user terminals, which is the equipment used by customers for a variety of different purposes. This can be on the ground, in the […]

As the mid-point in the BBC’s current Charter period approaches, broadcast regulator Ofcom has been reviewing the BBC’s performance and its future regulation of  the Corporation. As part of this, Ofcom has tracked audiences’ experiences and interactions with the BBC, and their feelings towards it. One in nine people have had a reason to complain […]

UK comms regulator Ofcom is proposing to allow satellite operators to access more spectrum so they can provide a wider range of broadband services, including in hard-to-reach areas. As consumer demand for satellite services increases, Ofcom wants to support innovation by extending spectrum access under its Earth Station Network licence to include the 14.25-14.5 GHz […]

An investigation by broadcast regulator Ofcom has found that public service broadcaster Channel 4 breached the conditions of its broadcast licence following an extended outage of its subtitling, signing and audio description services. These ‘access services’ are relied on by millions of people to watch and listen to television, including those who are deaf, have […]

Organisations delivering broadcasting services need urgently to review their contingency plans to avoid the kind of transmission failure that occurred at Yorkshire’s Bilsdale transmitter in 2021, UK comms regulator Ofcom has found. The recommendations come in Ofcom’s review of the Bilsdale Transmitter Fire, which looks at how the incident was handled and what lessons need […]