HA3 Task 5 - Regulation

Ofcom is the communications regulator in the UK. They regulate the TV and radio sectors, telecoms, mobiles, postal services and the airwaves over which wireless devices operate. They ensure that UK residents get the best from their communication services and are protected from inappropriate things within the industry such as scams and malicious practice. The organization works on behalf of the government and works under a number of acts of parliament, namely the Communications Act 2003. The main aim of the company is to promote and further the interest of UK citizens and consumers.

Ofcom licenses all commercial television and radio services in the UK. Broadcasters must comply by the terms of their license or risk having it revoked. It also commonly publishes updated criteria for the Broadcasting code. These are an extensive set of rules that all content that is to be broadcast on commercial radio and television must follow. If people believe that offensive material has been broadcast on any of those platforms, they can complain to Ofcom. After receiving a complaint, Ofcom will ask for a copy of the programme from the broadcaster and will extensively review it to see if it has breached its broadcasting code.

Ofcom is responsible for the rules for product placement, regulating what can and can't be shown on TV. Ofcom's broadcasting code contains rules about what type of products can be placed in programmes, where it is allowed and how the placed products can be featured. Programmes that cannot use product placement. These include news, childrens, religious, current affairs and consumer advice programmes made for UK TV audiences.

An example of something offensive that has been broadcast is the Russell Brand and Jonathon Ross prank phone call to actor Andrew Sachs, which involved sexually explicit references to his daughter, who Russell had a brief encounter with. over 1000 people complained to Ofcom and the pair were suspended from their usual jobs and the BBC were fined £150,000.

       The advertising standards authority (ASA) is the self-regulatory body of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. They apply the Advertising Codes, which are written by the Committees of Advertising Practice and are a strict criteria an advert must meet if it is to be broadcast. Their work also includes acting on complaints and proactively checking the media to take action against misleading, harmful or offensive advertisements. ASA also aim to ensure that all advertising in all types of media (TV, radio, pre-theatrical, print, online) are all legal, decent, honest and truthful, to the benefit of the consumers, business and society.

       ASA plans to make regulating online ads more successful, and being an effective part of the response to issues affected by advertising. They also want to make sure that in the future they wont have to stop adverts once already in the media but, before they have been published. This is their emphasis on ‘prevention rather than cure’. They also strive to be ‘more in tune’ with people by understanding their concerns and needs relating to the advertising industry.

       ASA can refer complaints to Ofcom, as ultimately the responsibility for adverts for channels lie with the broadcasters. For example, following more than 1,000 complaints to the ASA about the shopping channel Auction World.tv,  ASA referred the matter to Ofcom, which found the company in breach of its licence and fined it. Auction World.tv ended up in administration and went out of business.

This advert from the home office telling illegal immigrants to go home was banned as it was 'irresponsible, offensive and misleading'/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24452551