The Office of Communications (Welsh: Y Swyddfa Gyfathrebiadau), commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002 and received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003.^[1]

Ofcom has wide-ranging powers across the television, radio, internet, telecoms and postal sectors. It has a statutory duty to represent the interests of citizens and consumers by promoting competition and protecting the public from what might be considered harmful or offensive material. Some of the main areas Ofcom presides over are licensing, research, codes and policies, complaints, competition and protecting the radio spectrum from abuse.

History[link]

The creation of Ofcom was announced in the Queen's Speech to the UK parliament in June 2001. The new body, which would replace several existing authorities, was conceived as a "super-regulator" to oversee media channels that were rapidly converging through digital transmission.^[3]

Ofcom launched on 29 December 2003, formally inheriting the duties that had previously been the responsibility of five different regulators:^[4]

• the Broadcasting Standards Commission,
• the Independent Television Commission,
• the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel),
• the Radio Authority, and
• the Radiocommunications Agency.

In July 2009, Conservative party leader, David Cameron warned in a speech attacking the proliferation of quangos that "Ofcom, as we know it, will cease to exist" if his party came to power.^[5] Under Cameron's leadership, the current UK coalition government has pulled back from substantially reducing Ofcom's remit, although the current Public Bodies Bill does propose some changes to it.^[6]

On 1 October 2011, Ofcom took over responsibility for regulating the postal services industry from the Postal Services Commission (Postcomm).

News International phone hacking scandal[link]

In July 2011, in the wake of the News International phone hacking scandal, Ofcom came under pressure to launch an inquiry into whether the parent company of News International, News Corporation, was still the "fit and proper" owner of a controlling stake in the satellite broadcasting company British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB). On 13 July former Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged Ofcom to launch an investigation.^[7][8] On 15 July the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg stated that the Government would launch a review of laws on what constituted a "fit and proper" owner for broadcasting companies in the United Kingdom, and that anyone found not to meet that standard can be forced to give up their current holdings in a company.^[9] On 22 July it was reported that Ofcom had begun an investigation into whether the phone-hacking scandal may have changed BSkyB's status as the "fit and proper" holder of a UK broadcasting licence.^[10] On the same day Ed Richards, the Chief Executive of Ofcom, replied to Simon Hughes MP, Don Foster MP and Tim Farron MP following a letter which they had written to him on 8 July concerning News Corporation's shareholding in BSkyB.^[11] In the letter Richards confirmed that Ofcom considers that News Corporation’s current shareholding of 39.14% in BSkyB does give it a material influence over the company; that Ofcom is not precluded from acting by ongoing police investigations; and that Ofcom’s process is not dependent upon a criminal conviction being secured.^[11]

Activities[link]

Consultations[link]

Ofcom makes extensive use of consultations with industry and the public to help it make decisions based upon the evidence presented. Consultation processes begin with publishing documents on its website,^[12] asking for views and responses. If the document is perceived to be long and complicated, a plain English summary is usually published as well. A period of ten weeks is allowed for interested persons, companies or organisations to send in their responses to documents.

After this consultation period, Ofcom publishes the responses on their website (excluding any personal or confidential information). When the consultation period has elapsed, Ofcom will prepare a summary of the responses received, and will use this information as a basis for their decisions.^[13]

Programme complaints[link]

As the regulatory body for media broadcasts, part of Ofcom's duties are to examine specific complaints by viewers or listeners about programmes broadcast on channels that it has licensed. It does not oversee unlicensed channels broadcast to UK viewers. When Ofcom receives a complaint, it asks the broadcaster for a copy of the programme, it then examines the programme content to see if it is in breach of the broadcasting code. Ofcom requests response from the broadcaster to the complaint. On the basis of this response, Ofcom will mark the complaint as either "upheld" or "not upheld", or alternatively simply "resolved".

Licensing[link]

Ofcom is responsible for the management, regulation, assignment and licensing of the electromagnetic spectrum in the UK, and licenses portions of it for use in TV and radio broadcasts, mobile phone transmissions, private communications networks, and so on. The process of licensing varies depending on the type of usage required. Some licences simply have to be applied and paid for, other commercial licences are subject to a bidding process. Most of the procedures in place have been inherited from the systems used by the previous regulators. However, Ofcom may change some of these processes in future.

Protection[link]

Ofcom protects the radio spectrum in a number of ways:

Working within International organisations (ITU, CEPT and BEREC).

Licencing UK controlled commercial radio spectrum; The Ministry of Defence controls its own spectrum. Within the international frame work for frequency use; Ofcom liaises through the UK Government to produce the UKFAT (UK Frequency Allocation Table). The current table was produced in 2010.

Investigate and, when necessary, carry out enforcement activities to clear interference or illegal use from the spectrum. Until June 2010 Ofcom investigated all interference cases within the UK. However Radio and Television Broadcast interference reporting has reverted to the BBC. However commercial and spectrum licence holders report to Ofcom and in all cases Illegal/Pirate Radio operations are also reported to Ofcom.

Postal services[link]

In October 2010 the UK Government announced plans for Ofcom to inherit the functions of Postcomm as part of a wider set of public service austerity measures.^[14] Following the Postal Services Act 2011 regulatory responsibility for postal services transferred to Ofcom on 1 October 2011, with its primary duty to maintain the UK 6-day a week universal postal service.

Mobile phone database[link]

Ofcom maintains an online database, called "Sitefinder", to which national mobile network operators provide information about the location and operating characteristics of individual mobile phone base stations (or masts). This voluntary scheme was recommended in the "Stewart Report" to the Government in 2000.^[15]

Leadership[link]

Colette Bowe was appointed Ofcom Chairman with effect from 11 March 2009.^[16][17][18] She is the founding chairman of the Telecoms Ombudsman Council, and chaired Ofcom’s Consumer Panel from its inception in 2003 to December 2007. The current Chief Executive is Ed Richards, who previously was Chief Operating Officer, and is responsible for Strategy, Market Research, Finance, Human Resources and other functions. Richards was Senior Policy Advisor to the Labour party Prime Minister Tony Blair for Media, telecoms, the internet and e-govt and Controller of Corporate Strategy at the BBC.^[19]

The first chairman of Ofcom was David Currie, Dean of Cass Business School at City University and a life peer under the title Lord Currie of Marylebone. The first chief executive was Stephen Carter, Baron Carter of Barnes, formerly a senior executive of JWT UK and NTL and subsequently a Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting.^[20]

Key personnel[link]

Ofcom's key personnel at September 2010 were:^[21]

• Chief Executive, Ed Richards
• Content, International and Regulatory Development, Christopher Woolard
• Legal Group, Polly Weitzman (General Counsel)
• Consumer Group, Claudio Pollack
• Strategy, Chief Economist and Technology Group, Steve Unger
• Competition Policy Group, Stuart McIntosh
• Spectrum Policy Group, ‘H’ Nwana
• Operational Group, Jill Ainscough (Chief Operating Officer)

Controversies[link]

Expenditure[link]

Ofcom has received criticism for incurring unnecessary costs as a result of "extravagant Thames-side offices" and a "top-heavy salary bill",^[22] for a "Nero approach",^[23] and for "poor service".^[24]

Press TV[link]

In May 2011, Ofcom ruled that Press TV, an Iranian English-language satellite channel, was responsible for a serious breach of UK broadcasting rules and could face a fine for airing an interview with Maziar Bahari, the Newsweek journalist arrested covering the Iranian presidential election in 2009, that was obtained by force while he was held in a Tehran jail.^[25]

Upon the release of Ofcom's findings, Press TV launched a campaign against Maziar Bahari and Ofcom. Maziar Bahari was accused of being a "an MI6 contact person"^[26] taking guidance from "The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, protocol #7".^[27] Press TV called Ofcom's ruling "part of an anti-Iranian campaign," and that "A quick look at senior decision makers at OFCOM demonstrates that the regulator is mostly made up of former Channel4 and BBC executives, some of whom are well-linked to and influenced by powerful pro-Israeli politicians."^[28][29]

Sitefinder database and freedom of information[link]

In September 2007 an Information Tribunal ruled that the public should have access to the database under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.^[30] However, as Ofcom has no legal power to enforce mobile phone operators to add information the database, UK mobile phone operators consequently ceased updating it.^[15] Ofcom appealed against the Freedom of Information Act ruling, together with one UK mobile operator – T-Mobile.^[31] This has led to accusations of the organisation's complicity with the mobile telecommunications industry in keeping information about mast locations secret.^[32] Ofcom's stated reasons for the appeal have ranged from "preventing terrorist attacks" on the sites of phone masts to "protecting the intellectual property" of the mobile telecommunications industry.^[31]

In April 2008, the High Court found in favour of the Information Commissioner's Office and overruled Ofcom's objections. It is unclear whether Ofcom intends to appeal against this ruling.^[33]

See also[link]

• Advertising Standards Authority
• Broadband stakeholder group
• Office of Fair Trading
• Press Complaints Commission
• ITSPA
• ISPA
• International Telecommunications Union
• List of telecommunications regulatory bodies

References[link]

External links[link]

• Ofcom website
• Ofcom Broadcast Codes
• OfcomWatch – Ofcom-related blog
• Quick video guide to Ofcom for broadcast journalists

v t e Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the United Kingdom Headquarters: 2–4 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5DH Executive agencies Royal Parks Agency Non-departmental public bodies Advisory Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites Advisory Committee on National Historic Ships Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection Advisory Council on Libraries English Marketing Advisory Board Legal Deposit Advisory Panel Public Lending Right Advisory Committee Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest Spoliation Advisory Panel Theatres Trust Treasure Valuation Committee Executive Arts Council of England Big Lottery Fund British Film Institute British Library British Museum Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment English Sports Council Football Licensing Authority Gambling Commission Geffrye Museum English Heritage Historic Royal Palaces Horniman Museum Horserace Betting Levy Board Imperial War Museum Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester Museums, Libraries and Archives Council National Gallery National Heritage Memorial Fund National Lottery Commission National Maritime Museum National Museums Liverpool National Museum of Science and Industry National Portrait Gallery Natural History Museum Olympic Delivery Authority Olympic Lottery Distributor Registrar of Public Lending Right Royal Armouries Museum Sir John Soane's Museum Sport England Tate UK Film Council UK Sport Victoria and Albert Museum VisitBritain Wallace Collection Tribunal Horserace Betting Levy Tribunal Public broadcasting authorities British Broadcasting Corporation Sianel Pedwar Cymru (S4C) (Welsh Fourth Channel Authority) Statutory corporations Channel Four Television Corporation Historic Royal Palaces Office of Communications (Ofcom) Ministers Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt Under-Secretaries of State Culture, Communications and Creative Industries: Ed Vaizey Sport and the Olympics: Hugh Robertson Tourism and Heritage: John Penrose Category

v t e Media in the United Kingdom   Newspapers, magazines and other periodicals Newspapers National Berliner: The Guardian · The Observer · Broadsheet: Financial Times · The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph · The Sunday Times · Compact: i · The Independent, The Independent on Sunday · The Times · Middle-market: Daily Express, Sunday Express · Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday · Tabloid: Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror · Morning Star · The People · Daily Star, Daily Star Sunday · The Sun · Sunday Sport Regional and local Local newspapers in England · Regional newspapers in England · Newspapers in Northern Ireland · Newspapers in Scotland · Newspapers in Wales Other resources Defunct newspapers · Editors · Fleet Street · History · Journalists · Specialist newspapers · List by circulation Magazines and other periodicals Arts magazines · Business magazines · Comics · Defunct magazines · Fashion magazines · Literary magazines · Political magazines · Satirical magazines · Science and technology magazines · Women's magazines · List of magazines by circulation   Radio National stations BBC Analogue/digital: Radio 1 · Radio 2 · Radio 3 · Radio 4 · Radio 5 Live · Digital: Radio 1Xtra · Radio 4 Extra · Radio 5 Live Sports Extra · 6 Music · Asian Network · BBC National DAB (multiplex) Commercial Analogue/digital: Absolute Radio · Classic FM · Talksport · Digital: Absolute 80s · Absolute Radio 90s · Absolute Radio Extra · Amazing Radio · BFBS Radio · Digital One (multiplex) · Jazz FM · Planet Rock · Premier Christian Radio · Smooth Radio UK · UCB UK Regional and local stations BBC List of BBC Local Radio stations · List of BBC Regional Radio stations Commercial List of community radio stations · List of local commercial radio stations · List of semi-national analogue and digital stations Other stations List of hospital radio stations · Pirate radio · Restricted Service Licence (List of RSL stations) · List of satellite radio stations · List of student and schools radio Other Broadcasting companies · Broadcasting House · FM broadcasting · MediaCityUK · People · Programmes · Radio Academy · Radio Independents Group · RAJAR · Sony Radio Academy Awards · Most-listened-to programs   Television Principal channels BBC Analogue/digital: BBC One · BBC Two · Digital: BBC Three · BBC Four · BBC News · BBC Parliament · CBBC · CBeebies · BBC Alba · HD: BBC HD BSkyB Digital: Challenge · Pick TV · Sky1 · Sky2 · Sky 3D · Sky Arts · Sky Atlantic · Sky Betting and Gaming · Sky Living · Sky Livingit · Sky Movies · Sky Movies Box Office · Sky News · Sky Sports · Sky Sports F1 · Sky Sports News Channel Four Analogue/digital: Channel 4 · Digital: E4 · Film4 · More4 · 4seven · S4C Channel 5 Analogue/digital: Channel 5 · Digital: 5* · 5USA ITV Network Analogue/digital: ITV · Digital: ITV2 · ITV3 · ITV4 · CITV UKTV Digital: Alibi · Blighty · Dave · Eden · Gold · Good Food · Home · Really · Watch · Yesterday Services and platforms 4oD (Film4oD) · Analogue (Analogue terrestrial) · BBC iPlayer · blinkbox · BT Vision · Cable · Demand 5 · Digital (Digital terrestrial · List of channels) · Freesat (Freesat+ · List of channels) · Freeview (Freeview+) · Freewire (List of channels) · High-definition (List of channels) · ITV (ITV Player · STV Player) · Real Digital · Restricted Service Licence · Satellite (List of channels) · Sky (Freesat from Sky · Sky Anytime · Sky Anytime+ · Sky+ · Sky+ HD · List of channels) · Smallworld Cable (List of channels) · TalkTalk TV (List of channels) · Top Up TV · TVCatchup (List of channels) · Virgin Media (FilmFlex · TiVo · V+ · List of channels) · WightCable · YouView · Zattoo (List of channels) Studios BBC Pacific Quay · BBC Television Centre · Broadcasting House · Broadcasting House (Cardiff) · The Fountain Studios · The Leeds Studios · MediaCityUK · Granada Studios · Roath Lock · Teddington Studios Other Awards · Defunct channels · Edinburgh International Television Festival · History (List of years) · List of channels · Production companies · Programmes · Student television · Viewing statistics (Most-watched broadcasts)   Companies and organisations Companies Major companies Aegis Group · Archant · BBC · Bloomsbury Publishing · British Sky Broadcasting · BT Group · Channel Four · Chrysalis Group · Daily Mail and General Trust · Economist Group · EMAP · EMI Group · Endemol UK · Global Radio · Guardian Media Group · Haymarket Group · Informa · IPC Media · ITN · ITV · Johnston Press · Mecom Group · News International · Newsquest · Northern & Shell · Pearson · Press Holdings · Reed Elsevier · Reuters · STV Group · Syco · TalkTalk Group · Trinity Mirror · UBM · UTV Media · Virgin Media Other resources Broadcasting companies · Defunct media companies · Publishing companies (List of largest UK book publishers) · Record labels Government and regulatory bodies Advertising Standards Authority · BBC Trust · British Board of Film Classification · British Film Institute · Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee · Department for Culture, Media and Sport · Ofcom · Press Complaints Commission · UK Film Council · Welsh Fourth Channel Authority Industry and trades bodies British Academy of Film and Television Arts · British Phonographic Industry · Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union · Clearcast · Digital TV Group · Digital UK · Equity · Federation Against Copyright Theft · National Union of Journalists · The Publishers Association · Royal Television Society · United Kingdom Independent Broadcasting Other BBC Academy · National Film and Television School · National Media Museum   Regional and student media Regional media Media in England (Media in Birmingham · Media in London · Media in Manchester) · Media in Northern Ireland · Media in Scotland (Media in Aberdeen · Media in Dundee · Media in Glasgow) · Media in Wales (Media in Cardiff) Student media Student television Category ·  Commons

v t e Telecommunications industry in the United Kingdom Economy of the United Kingdom Science and technology in the United Kingdom Companies Infrastructure providers Arqiva BT Wholesale Interxion Openreach TelecityGroup Telehouse Europe VT Communications Retailers The Carphone Warehouse Phones4U Dial-a-Phone Service providers Andrews & Arnold Asda Mobile British Sky Broadcasting (Sky Broadband) BT Group BT Global Services BT Mobile BT Retail BT Vision Plusnet) Claranet Colt Group Cable & Wireless Communications Cable & Wireless Worldwide Delight Mobile Everything Everywhere Orange U.K. T-Mobile (UK) Family Mobile Hutchison 3G Inmarsat KCOM Group Eclipse Internet Lebara Mobile LycaMobile Mapesbury Communications Talkmobile TalkTalk Group AOL Broadband TalkTalk Business TalkTalk Mobile TalkTalk TV Telecom Plus Telefónica Europe Be Unlimited Giffgaff O2 (United Kingdom) Tesco Mobile Tru Vectone Mobile Virgin Media Virgin Mobile Vodafone Vodafone U.K. WightCable Zen Internet Suppliers ARM Holdings Artevea Cablefree CSR Icera Pace PicoChip Sarantel Spirent Telent Other Yell Group Government and regulatory bodies Broadband Stakeholder Group Defence Science and Technology Laboratory European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations International Telecommunication Union Ofcom PhonepayPlus Industry bodies GSM Association Internet Service Providers Association LONAP London Internet Exchange MaNAP Symbian Foundation Other Adastral Park British Approvals Board for Telecommunications British telephone sockets BT Research BT site engineering code Communications Act 2003 Earth stations in the United Kingdom Hull Colour Pages Internet in the United Kingdom Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom Category Commons

Coordinates: 51°30′28″N 0°05′43″W / 51.5079°N 0.0953°W / 51.5079; -0.0953