THE REGULATORY ROLE OF THE INDEPENDENT TELEVISION COMMISSION
| Published date | 01 January 1992 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb024755 |
| Pages | 93-98 |
| Date | 01 January 1992 |
| Author | MICHAEL REDLEY |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & finance |
THE REGULATORY ROLE OF THE INDEPENDENT
TELEVISION COMMISSION
Received (in revised form): 2nd September, 1992.
MICHAEL REDLEY
MICHAEL REDLEY
THE AUTHOR BECAME HEAD OF LICENSING
WHEN THE INDEPENDENT TELEVISION
COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED ON A
STATUTORY BASIS ON 1ST DECEMBER, 1990.
HE JOINED THE INDEPENDENT
BROADCASTING AUTHORITY (IBA) AS SENIOR
PLANNING ASSISTANT IN SEPTEMBER 1987. HE
WAS INTIALLY ON SECONDMENT TO THE IBA
FROM HM TREASURY BUT JOINED THE STAFF
OF
THE IBA FROM JUNE 1989, WHEN HE
BECAME CHIEF ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR
GENERAL HIS RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE
COVERED ALL ASPECTS OF THE
BROADCASTING BILL, PREPARATION FOR
LICENSING AND AN INTEREST IN
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
BROADCASTING.
MICHAEL REDLEY GAINED A PHD IN
HISTORY AT CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY
FOLLOWED LATER BY AN MSC IN ECONOMICS
AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS. HE
HAS WORKED IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
AS WELL AS THE TREASURY.
ABSTRACT
The paper
discusses
the
operation
of the
regulation
of
commercial television
broad-
casting
in the
UK.
It
considers the scope of
the Independent Television
Commission's
powers
and the way they have
been
exer-
cised
in
some
of the main
areas
of respon-
sibility in the 18 months since the
Commission
was
established.
It also deals
with
some
of the
issues which
have
been
so
far
raised by the
new
regulatory
regime.
INTRODUCTION
The Independent Television Com-
mission (ITC) is appointed under the
Broadcasting Act 1990 to regulate
commercial, ie non-licence fee
financed, television services operat-
ing throughout the UK. They
include the 15 regional services and
the breakfast-time service on Chan-
nel 3, Channel 4 and the prospective
Channel 5, as well as the cable and
satellite programme services which
are being offered to the public in
increasing numbers. The ITC also
plays the leading role, with the
Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) and Office of Telecommunica-
tions (Oftel), in licensing local
delivery services, which involve the
use of cable systems for providing
television services to householders.
Regulation under the 1990 Act
involves awarding licences to those
who are suitably qualified (or are
93
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