Ofcom

Ofcom gives provisional green light to 12-month BBC iPlayer plan

UK media regulator Ofcom has provisionally given the BBC a green light for its planned changes to BBC iPlayer, subject to certain conditions and guidance. The regulator said that it accepts that the BBC needs to keep pace with changes in consumption habits. “We have provisionally found that the proposed changes to BBC iPlayer would […]

Ofcom CEO Sharon White to step down

Ofcom CEO Sharon White is to step down towards the end of the year to become chairman of The John Lewis Partnership. White joined Ofcom in March 2015 from HM Treasury where she was Second Permanent Secretary. Lord Burns, Ofcom Chairman, said: “Sharon has been an outstanding Chief Executive for Ofcom and will be missed by […]

Ofcom greenlights BBC/Discovery deal for UKTV

British regulator Ofcom will not conduct a formal investigation into the BBC’s deal with Discovery to divide up UKTV. This effectively means that the proposed deal – that will see Discovery take control of three channels and the BBC take control of seven – now has official approval. Discovery, which became a co-owner of UKTV […]

Netflix and Prime Video eclipse local broadcaster revenues in the UK

UK revenue for streaming giants Netflix and Amazon Prime is double that of the nation’s five biggest broadcasters. According to an Ofcom report on the UK’s VOD market, Amazon Prime and Netflix generated an estimated £1.09 billion (€1.27 billion) in 2018. By contrast, Sky’s Now TV, ITV Hub, All 4, My 5 and the BBC […]

Ofcom introduces ‘best deal’ rule for UK broadband, phone and TV operators

Broadband, phone and pay TV firms must tell customers about their best deals, Ofcom has announced. According to a statement from the regulator, broadband, TV, mobile and home phone companies will be required to tell their customers when their contracts are close to expiry and tell them about their best deals. Broadband, TV, mobile and […]

BT tops Ofcom pay TV complaints list

BT topped UK regulator Ofcom’s list of the most complained-about pay TV service providers in the fourth quarter of last year. The telco generated 12 complaints per 100,000 subscribers in the three months to December, followed by Virgin Media with 10 and TalkTalk with seven. Sky generated the fewest complaints, with only one subscriber per […]

BBC submits iPlayer plans to Ofcom

The BBC has submitted its plans to make more box-sets and more content available for longer on its iPlayer service to Ofcom following completion of the public interest test ordered by the regulator. The BBC said that its public interest test had shown that the planned changes, which would see programmes made  available on BBC […]

BBC chair criticises ‘red tape’ restrictions on iPlayer windowing

The restrictions on the viewing window for content available on the BBC iPlayer form a major barrier to the pubcaster meeting its remit of delivering a universal service as audiences turn to digital platforms, and regulator Ofcom’s approach runs the risk of “tying ourselves up in red tape and regulation at a time when media […]

New Ofcom speed code gives broadband and TV subs right to walk away

UK regulator Ofcom has introduced new rules giving consumers the right to walk away from broadband contracts that do not live up to promises made about speed, with the ability to drop TV services and fixed-phone packages purchased at the same time. The new code of practice introduced by Ofcom means that broadband operators must […]

Ofcom publishes draft no-deal Brexit broadcast licences

Ofcom has published draft broadcast licence templates that could be used in the event of a no-deal Brexit as it prepares for “all eventualities” relating to the UK’s departure from the EU. Currently the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) provides the basis for Ofcom’s broadcast licensing framework. The AVMSD’s ‘country of origin’ principle lets […]

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