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Puttnam's shot across the bows
130/Kathy Lowe
The July report from the joint parliamentary committee set up to scrutinise the communications bill was a shot across the bows for the government. CPBF, together with a number of trade unions and voluntary organisations, had given evidence to the committee, arguing for tighter restrictions on media ownership and strong, positive public service obligations to be laid on media owners.
The committee led by Lord Puttnam appeared to take some of these arguments on board. It expressed its 'unease on several grounds' about the bill, making 148 recommendations on how it could be improved.
The future of British broadcasting depended as much on guaranteeing programme quality and diversity as controlling distribution, the MPs and peers concluded. Their report put the stress on boosting the powers of super regulator OFCOM to make it more effective in securing the necessary safeguards, policing broadcasters' public service remit and reigning in over-powerful media companies. The committee also recommended that OFCOM should have a clearer role in regulating the BBC.
A 'plurality test' was proposed for prospective take-overs and mergers, requiring those involved to demonstrate their commitment to investing in original production, stimulating employment and meeting the principles and standards of British broadcasting.
Most embarrassing for those eager to see ownership of television companies such as Carlton, Granada and Channel 5 opened up to international corporations was the committee's proposal to put any such bids on ice. They should wait until OFCOM was up and running and able to oversee terms, the committee recommended.
When Lord Puttnam held his London press conference to announce the proposals, a DCMS spokesperson issued a statement that 'the provisions in the communications bill were not tentative proposals, they were decisions'. However Lord Puttnam remains optimistic that many of the committee's recommendations will be incorporated into the communications bill when it goes before parliament this autumn. In a Financial Times (10/11/2) article he said that he though up to 125 of the recommendations would be accepted, and ‘a sensible compromise hacked out on foreign ownership’. But on 10 September Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt told the Royal Television Society's international conference that the government will press ahead with the liberalisation of foreign ownership restrictions despite the Puttnam report.
"I don't think OFCOM will be in any better position than we are now to make a judgement", she said. "We want to go ahead."
Last modified: Friday, September 20, 2002
Previous government policy stories
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WHY THE COMMUNICATIONS BILL IS BAD NEWS
Submission to the DCMS/DTI consultation on the draft Communications Bill
Update on the Communications Bill
CPBF attacks 'government arrogance' over Puttnam Report
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More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
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The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
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Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
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The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Government Policy
CPBF Response to Draft Communications Bill
New CPBF Pamphlet on the Communications Bill
WHY THE COMMUNICATIONS BILL IS BAD NEWS
Submission to the DCMS/DTI consultation on the draft Communications Bill
Update on the Communications Bill
CPBF attacks 'government arrogance' over Puttnam Report
The Puttnam Report: 'Making a good bill better'
Robert McChesney's 'Theses on Media Deregulation'
Communications Freedom and the Internet
Submission to the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Bill by the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
The Dangers of Media Deregulation
Will opening the door to international ownership benefit UK media?
The BBC
Tiers threat to Public Service
Citizens and consumers
Where is Scotland in the Communications Bill?
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Comms Bill scrutiny starts today
'Where is Scotland in the Communications Bill?' ask media campaigners
'Where is Wales, public service and quality in Communications Bill?' ask Welsh media campaigners.
Communications Bill ‘puts market-driven media before public interest’ warns CPBF
Communications Bill unveiled....
CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT COMMITTEE: HOUSE OF COMMONS (SESSION 2001-02), 1 May 2002, No 25
Wales needs more public debate on communications policy
NO OFCOM SEATS FOR REGIONS - but battle to defend regional voice goes on
A Voice for Scotland
Communications Bill Roundup - Ownership Consultation
ITN NEWS PROVISION
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RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES
BY DCMS and DTI (November 2001)
