Ofcom

Who are Ofcom?

Ofcom are the UK communications regulators, that regulate TV and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobiles, Postal services and the airwaves which wireless services operate over. Ofcom operate under the Communications Act 2003. This is a detailed Act of Parliament which explains what Ofcom exactly do. Funded by the fees from industries for regulating broadcasting and communications networks, and grant-in-aid  from the goverment. 

Ofcoms duties are furthered by the interest of citizens and consumers. They meet at the middle to ensure everyone is satisfied.

What Ofcom do

Ofcom main legal duties are to ensure:

• the UK has a wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed services such as broadband;
• a wide range of high-quality television and radio programmes are provided, appealing to a range of tastes and interests;
• television and radio services are provided by a range of different organisations;
• people who watch television and listen to the radio are protected from harmful or offensive material;
• people are protected from being treated unfairly in television and radio programmes, and from having their privacy invaded; and
• a universal postal service is provided in the UK – this means a six days a week, universally priced delivery and collection service across the country; and
• the radio spectrum (the airwaves used by everyone from taxi firms and boat owners, to mobile-phone companies and broadcasters) is used in the most effective way.

What Ofcom do not do

Ofcom are not responsible for regulating:

• disputes between you and your telecoms provider;
• premium-rate services, including mobile-phone text services and ringtones;
• the content of television and radio adverts;
• complaints about accuracy in BBC programmes;
• the BBC TV licence fee; or
• post offices; or
• newspapers and magazines.

Ofcom Investigate Xfactor

Ofcom is to investigate whether two X Factor auditions broke its broadcasting code.

The media regulator received 35 complaints over fears that Alison Brunton's teenage children could be bullied after being shown watching their mother perform Lady GaGa's 'The Edge of Glory'.

© ITV / Thames TV/Ken McKay

© THAMES TV/SYCO

Brunton appeared on the September 1 episode with her children, a 14-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy, who were repeatedly shown looking humiliated by their mother's singing.

Section 1 of the Ofcom broadcasting code states that networks have a responsibility to take "due care of the physical and emotional welfare and dignity of people under 18".

Ofcom will also consider whether an audition by Britney Spears impersonator Lorna Bliss, which aired before the 9pm watershed on September 9, breached taste and decency rules, The Guardian reports.



Ofcom received 34 complaints over the performance, which saw Bliss give Louis Walsh a lapdance while wearing a body stocking.

An ITV spokeswoman said: "The X Factor does not include child contestants but takes the welfare of any children featured in the show very seriously.

"It is a well-established format and contestants regularly bring along their family to support them as Alison did. Footage of family members is only used when appropriate consent has been obtained."

She added: "Lorna's performance and its editing was carefully considered by the producers and ITV. We do not believe her routine exceeded generally-accepted standards or the expectations of the vast majority of the audience."

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a407972/ofcom-to-investigate-x-factor-auditions.html#~oG7GCEC05w6OnA#ixzz33Zp586g2 

Documentaries & Ofcom

Ofcom also regulates Documentaries in the same way it regulates everything else, in the context of the specific thing . Certain Documentaries have been banned because there context was one that couldnt be shown in the UK. Documentaries such as 

On The Verge 'On The Verge' tells the story of one of the most persistent and imaginative campaigns to emerge out of the UK's anti-war movement and direct action scene. This film shows the police measures against peaceful protests in UK and their collaboration with the criminals that in this case produce weapons. The film was banned by the Sussex police as well as other police forces around UK.

Meaning of "context":
Context includes (but is not limited to):

• the editorial content of the programme, programmes or series;
• the service on which the material is broadcast;
• the time of broadcast;
• what other programmes are scheduled before and after the programme or programmes concerned;
• the degree of harm or offence likely to be caused by the inclusion of any particular sort of material in programmes generally or programmes of a particular description;
• the likely size and composition of the potential audience and likely expectation of the audience;
• the extent to which the nature of the content can be brought to the attention of the potential audience for example by giving information; and
• the effect of the material on viewers or listeners who may come across it unawares.