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Communications Bill 'threatens Scottish production' MSPs warned
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CPBF addresses the Scottish Parliament
"Much of Scotland's media could soon be owned by companies with no Scottish connection or commitment to Scottish programming." This was the message to members of the Scottish Parliament from CPBF National Secretary Jonathan Hardy at a recent parliamentary briefing on the communications bill.Jonathan Hardy and Peter Murray, a member of the NUJ national executive and a well-known reporter with BBC Scotland met the MSPs in the Scottish
Parliament in Edinburgh on 14 November.
They warned that the Government must be stopped from opening UK media outlets to media moguls outside the EEA. It was vital that the bill be changed so as to retain and strengthen media ownership restrictions designed to promote plurality and diversity.
Jonathan Hardy stressed that Scottish production and programmes about Scotland would soon be a thing of the past unless the Communications Bill
made sure that much stronger public service obligations were written into broadcasters' licences.
The licences, he argued, should stipulate a minimum level of investment in original, high quality productions covering news and current affairs and programmes of specific interest to the nations and regions of the UK.
MSPs were urged to press Scotland's First Minister for a members' debate on the bill, to call for the new super-regular OFCOM to be obliged to consult the Scottish Parliament and to push for a representative for Scotland on the main OFCOM board, the Content Board and the Consumer Panel.
The briefing took place at a time of major upheaval in Scottish communications with the Scottish Media Group struggling to pay a 408
million pound debt by selling off assets including the Glasgow-based titles The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times.
Last modified: Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Previous government policy stories
IT IS STILL A BAD BILL
COMMUNICATIONS BILL WILL MAKE BRITAIN ‘A US SATELLITE’ WARNS CPBF
Government Responds to Puttnam Committee
CPBF sets up steering group to focus on the Communications Bill
Special Communications Policy Briefing: DCMS Secretary Tessa Jowell to address the Westminster Media Forum the day after
the Queen's Speech.
Why the Communications Bill is bad news
CPBF NEWS
Action Alert
Puttnam's shot across the bows
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?
A MARKET-DRIVEN BILL
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
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
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.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
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
DATELINE: 1/3/13
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.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
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
IT IS STILL A BAD BILL
COMMUNICATIONS BILL WILL MAKE BRITAIN ‘A US SATELLITE’ WARNS CPBF
Government Responds to Puttnam Committee
CPBF sets up steering group to focus on the Communications Bill
Special Communications Policy Briefing: DCMS Secretary Tessa Jowell to address the Westminster Media Forum the day after
the Queen's Speech.
Why the Communications Bill is bad news
CPBF NEWS
Action Alert
Puttnam's shot across the bows
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?
A MARKET-DRIVEN BILL
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
