Ofcom regulation

 

Ofcom is the regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. It regulates the TV and radio sectors, fixed-line telecoms, mobiles, postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate. Ofcom works with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.

The purposes of Ofcom?

They help to make sure people across the UK are satisfied with what they see and hear on TV and radio, and that programmes reflect the audiences they serve. We consider every complaint we receive from viewers and listeners. Often, we investigate further and we sometimes find broadcasters in breach of our rules.

How does the process of regulation work? 

The process works initially by the use of the watershed. The watershed is the set time of 9 p.m. where before this no inappropriate language or content should be shown. Programmes displayed before the watershed are trusted to not contain any offensive content that is not suitable for children under the age of 15. The process of regulation is reviewed by Ofcom frequently where opinions from the public are gathered. This information is then analysed and discussed. 

Ofcom became the BBC’s first external regulator in 2017.

The principal functions of Ofcom to the BBC are to:

• Prepare and publish an Operating Framework containing the provisions it considers appropriate to secure the effective regulation of the activities of the BBC

• Set an operating licence for the UK Public Services containing the regulatory conditions it considers appropriate for the BBC to deliver its mission and public purposes

• Determine appropriate measures to assess the performance of the BBC's UK Public Services

• Set requirements to protect fair and effective competition about material changes to UK Public Service and non-service activities

• Set requirements in relation to the interaction between the BBC and its commercial activities to ensure that the commercial activities do not, as a result of their relationship with the UK Public Services, trading activities or non-service activities, distort the market or gain an unfair competitive advantage

• Regulate the content standards of the BBC’s television, radio and on-demand programmes, under Ofcom’s Standards and fairness codes.