ITC releases comparative review of content regulation

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) have released a major review of content regulation in ten countries in Europe, the Far East and America.
The study, conducted by McKinsey and Company, has been commissioned by the ITC to inform scrutiny of the newly published Communications Bill, and focuses on how regulation across the world is responding to technological change and global competition. The countries reviewed were: France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, United States, Canada
The report emphasises the importance of: access - to new services by all citizens and to customers and audiences by competing programme providers; standards - the need for rules to be proportionate to the pervasiveness and impact of different media; and quality - the relative effectiveness of regulatory or structural solutions to the challenge of securing diverse and high quality content produced for national audiences.
Patricia Hodgson, Chief Executive of the ITC, said: "Consumers want effective delivery systems and good services on them. Quality television is a part of that. The Communications Bill must establish a new settlement for British broadcasting, based on the three priorities above, and root them firmly in an effective regime for managing Britain's new communications infrastructure.
The Chief Executive added: "The research provides a powerful analysis that will inform debate about an effective new framework for the UK."
The entire report can be accessed on the ITC web site: www.itc.org.uk (KmcA)