Round-up of Media News from April 2008

18th April 2008

Changes to BBC Commissioning Agreement

In October 2007 after publication of the Wyatt Report into "A Year With The Queen", the BBC proposed to Pact that changes be made to its Commissioning Agreement and Production Agreement regarding "trust" issues.

On April 2 Pact Council approved the changes. For copies of both Agreements please click here and here.

The main changes include:

ISP’s propose BBC share cost of increasing network capacity

Internet networks have been put under strain after the success of the BBC’s iPlayer service which enables users to download or stream BBC content. Internet service providers want the BBC to share the cost of increasing existing network capacity.

Changes proposed to TV advertising rules

Prompted by the amendment in December 2007 of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, OFCOM has published a consultation on changes to its Rules on the Amount and Distribution of Advertising.

Changes proposed include removing the rule imposing a minimum of 20 minutes between ad breaks, simplification of the rules stating adverts should only be at “natural breaks” and easing restrictions in a number of types of programming.

More detailed proposals are expected later this year but general views are now being sought in this consultation, see here.

OFCOM issues statement on reduction of ITV children's programmes

Please click here for OFCOM statement on ITV's proposal to reduce children's programming in 2008 from an average of around 4 hours to 2 hours per week.

OFCOM has requested that no reduction is made until it has finished its Public Service Broadcaster Review, currently underway and the first phase due for publication in April.

New rules proposed for participation TV

OFCOM has proposed stricter rules for programmes which rely heavily on premium rate telephone services (eg quiz shows and adult chat).

Please click here to view the press release.

It is proposed that the new Broadcasting Code will contain rules ensuring editorial content and advertising are kept separate and that such programmes are not vehicles for promoting commercial or revenue generating services.

Launch of Directors UK (D-UK)

A new UK directors' guild will be launched in May. "D-UK", created out of the existing Directors' and Producers' Rights Society, has been driven by director Michael Apted. It will aim to protect and promote directors' economic and creative rights.

Apted will be the first President of D-UK with Charles Sturridge as Chair.

Talks begin between SAG and US Studios

Representatives from the US Screen Actor'’s Guild and major studios (AMPTP) begun new contract talks on 15 April. Their existing contract expires on 30 June.

The SAG board of directors had previously rejected calls from some of its members to restrict voting rights on the new deal to members in "regular work" (defined as at least one days’ work a year). The demand was rejected as being elitist.

UKIPO publishes report into operation of artist's resale rights

The artist's resale rights were introduced in the UK in 2006 and give artists the right to a royalty each time their work is sold when a professional dealer is involved in the sale.

Please click here for a copy of report which concluded that although the artist’s resale regulations have not had a significant detrimental impact on the art market as a whole there have been some difficulties in running the system. A Consultation is being launched in summer 2008.

© Davenport Lyons 2008. All rights reserved.
This document reflects the law and practice as at April 2008. It is general in nature, and does not purport in any way to be comprehensive or a substitute for specialist legal advice in individual circumstances.