OFCOM
From SR
Contents |
Roles
Ofcom, the Office of Communications are an independent organisation which regulates the UK’s broadcasting, telecommunications and wireless communications sectors. Ofcom also set and enforce rules on fair competition between companies in these industries.
Resposibilities:
- Broadcasting
- Telecommunications
- Radio spectrum
- Competition and investigations
Main legal duties are to ensure:
- The UK has a wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed information services (for example, 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
- 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.
Funding
Ofcom are funded by:
- Fees from industry for regulating broadcasting and communications networks
- Grant-in-aid from the Government
Reporting Hierarchy
Ofcom answer to the UK Parliament but are independent of the UK Government. The Government Departments that sponsor Ofcom:
- The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
- The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Ofcom is a statutory corporation. It is required to report annually to Parliament. The Communications Act 2003 (the ‘Comms Act’) provides that Ofcom is subject to inspection by the National Audit Office, and Ofcom is accountable to the Public Accounts Committee for propriety and value for money.
The Chief Executive may also be called upon by the Committee of Public Accounts and other Parliamentary committees to give evidence on the discharge of his duties.
Structure
Ofcom has a Board with a Chairman and both executive and non-executive members. The Executive runs the organisation and answers to the Board, whilst the work of both Board and Executive is informed by the contribution of a number of advisory bodies. The Board has a central governance function, with oversight over the fulfilment of Ofcom’s general duties and specific statutory responsibilities as well as its adherence to the ethos of a public service organisation.
