Office of Communications Act 2002
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/11/contents
Office of Communications Act 2002: Section 2
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/11/section/2/enacted
Can be read as an organisation that exists solely to implement acts like the 2003 communications act which came on the back of the 2002 Office of communications act.
In a sense Blair’s standards in the 2003 communications act are constantly reinforced in media by a unelected therapeutic body aimed at fairness and harm reduction. Unlike the BBC of old there is almost zero scope for policing lewdness or vulgarity, only regulating content through an ideological lense.
First announced in the Queen’s speech in 2001 as a new “super regulator”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1398580.stm
On 29 December 2003 (19 years ago), Ofcom launched, formally inheriting the duties that had previously been the responsibility of five different regulators:
the Broadcasting Standards Commission
the Independent Television Commission
the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel)
the Radio Authority
the Radiocommunications Agency
Wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofcom
Currently chaired by: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Grade
Who’s father of course escaped the Porgoms in ukraine.
Dubbed the “pornographer in chief” back when he brought raunchy programming to channel 4 during his stint as chair executive.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/nov/18/michael-grade-peerage
Chief exec:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanie_Dawes
Appears as a career bureaucrat
https://www.weforum.org/people/melanie-dawes
Cameron in 2009:
https://theguardian.com/media/2009/jul/06/tories-cut-ofcom-powers-david-cameron
In 2011 the public Bodies act is brought into to cut back and reduce Quangos, Incidentally ofcom is left as it was in this act.
One mention of Ofcom in here right at the bottom.
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Out%20of%20the%20ashes.pdf
Tory governments continue to allow OFCOM to have greater and greater powers despite being opposed to these “arms length bodies”.
2011 postal services act saw OFCOM receive remit to regular postal service in tandem with the Royal Mail privatisation: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Services_Act_2011
2016. Adopts regulation of Video on demand services, pivoting towards its newer role under the online safety bill: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/oct/14/video-on-demand-ofcom-atvod
Pivot is really driven home with the Digital economy act 2017, which gave Ofcom :
“Ofcom were given powers concerning the minimum broadband speed provided by Internet service providers, the ability to financially penalise communications providers for failing to comply with licence commitments and the power to require public service broadcasters to include a minimum quantity of children's programming made in the United Kingdom. The act also transferred to Ofcom the regulation of the BBC, a duty previously undertaken by the BBC Trust, and updated the Ofcom Electronic Communications Code to make it easier for telecommunications companies to erect and extend mobile masts.” - Ofcom Wiki
2019 online harms white paper consultations leads to OFCOM being further involved in online regulation. Being the body in charge who can declare what is and isn’t legal, illegal, harmful and non-harmful content. Carries into 2022 whereby ofcom is given extra tools to find material relating to child exploitation.
It could be suggested that the Conservative party has taken OFCOM under its own wing, given it more powers and oriented it towards their own Blue Blairism.
“Timeline of communications regulators” in Ofcom wiki demonstrates how many in-industry regulators have all been wrapped up into OFCOM as central communications bureau.
“Ofcom is responsible for the management, regulation, assignment and licensing of the electromagnetic spectrum in the UK…” rather funny wording.
From Online Safety Bill: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/240442/online-safety-roadmap.pdf
Ofcom podcast