ITC CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR INTERIM LEGISLATION

THE Government should introduce interim legislation to give the Independent Television Commission (ITC) the flexibility to influence the imbalance in the broadcasting ecology, the ITC's Chairman Sir Robin Biggam has urged.
He said: “We are going through tough times and Government needs to act quickly and to use interim legislation, as necessary, to deal with the issues that need to be addressed now if we are to have a dynamic and prosperous communications sector in the UK.”
Speaking at an ITC dinner in Edinburgh, Biggam said that the economic health enjoyed by the sector two years ago – with strong advertising revenues fuelling investment in programmes and optimistic forecasts for the take-up of broadband and interactive services - had gone into steep decline.
Biggam said: “Today the position is different. The telecommunications sector now faces a massive turndown while in commercial television there has been a collapse in advertising revenues. The BBC are still well served as the primary public sector provider but the commercial sector – which also has public service obligations – is not in a position to compete. The whole ecology of public service broadcasting has been based on the ability to keep the BBC on its toes with programmes of originality and quality. This balance would be seriously damaged without immediate action.”
Referring to the Government's draft Communications Bill - which could see the establishment of a new regulator, OFCOM, by 2003 - Biggam said substantive legislation would come too late for the existing regulators to exercise effective powers in the current economic climate.
Sir Robin said that the ITC were currently in discussions with ITV about the Charter and hoped agreement could be reached on the initiative. He dismissed press reports that there were plans to “sabotage Scots TV”.
Biggam said: “The key components of a new settlement with ITV will be their continuing investment in the delivery of services in the Nations and Regions, backed up by local governance and accountability and the support for a vibrant production sector out of London in which ITV plays a key, but not exclusive, part.” (CD)