Ofcom appoints Olympic athlete to broadcasting regulator

Jonathan Edwards, the Olympic triple jump gold medallist and presenter of the BBC's Songs of Praise, is joining a panel unveiled by Ofcom this week to regulate taste and decency in broadcasting.
Mr Edwards will represent the English regions on the content board being set up as part of Ofcom, the new super-regulator for the media and telecommunications industries which is replacing the ITC.
Ofcom announced the names of the nine new part-time members of its shadow Content Board on Thursday April 10.
Chaired by Ofcom Deputy Chairman Richard Hooper, with Ofcom Board Member Sara Nathan as his Deputy, the Content Board will be responsible for promoting the quality and safeguarding the standards of radio and television.
Four of the new part-time members will represent the UK’s Nations and Regions.
Representing Wales, Sue Balsom is a businesswoman and a former Vice Chair of the Broadcasting Council for Wales; Jonathan Edwards, will represent the English regions; Northern Ireland will be represented by Rosemary Kelly, former Head of Public Affairs and Secretary to the BBC in Northern Ireland and Matthew MacIver, Chief Executive/Registrar of the General Teaching Council for Scotland and former Chair of the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee represents Scotland.
Other members of the board include Adam Singer, the former chief executive of Flextech and Telewest, and Floella Benjamin, the Playschool presenter-turned-television producer who is an adviser to the Commission for Racial Equality.
Richard Hooper, said: “It was our aim to create a Content Board with a real diversity of experience and background. With six women and five men and an age range from 36 to 63, as well as the breadth of experience and interests represented by the members, I feel we have achieved this aim."
The board will meet for the first time in May and Ofcom will be operational by the end of the year.
(AMcE)