Ofcom to discuss its priorities for Wales

pingwales.co.uk
Ofcom to discuss its priorities for Wales at public meeting
By Staff Writer | 17 Jan 2007

Rhodri Williams, director of Ofcom Wales, will hold a public meeting on Ofcom’s plans for Wales in 2007 and beyond at St David’s Hotel in Cardiff Bay on Friday 19 January 2007, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Ofcom’s priorities for Wales include a review of public service broadcasting and the next steps towards a public service publisher, overlap viewing, radio licensing and extending digital audio broadcasting availability, as well as the digital dividend review and a new approach to managing radio spectrum.

The event forms part of a series of public meetings across the UK to hear people's views on Ofcom’s draft Annual Plan for 2007/8.

The meetings, which include a panel of Ofcom experts, will provide an opportunity for anyone with an interest in the regulation of the communications industries to discuss Ofcom's approach to television, radio, telecoms and wireless communications services.

The draft plan sets out Ofcom’s policy framework for the next three years and lists specific priorities for 2007/8 under each policy. The draft plan is subject to ten weeks’ public consultation, which will close on 20 February 2007. Ofcom will publish its final statement in early April.

According to this plan, Ofcom will continue to examine the scope for removing regulation and reducing administrative burdens on its stakeholders in the coming three years.

Ofcom’s policy work for 2007-2010 will mainly focus on accelerating the development of a market-based approach to spectrum; promoting competition and innovation in converging markets; enabling services that are important to UK citizens as platforms and services converge; improving industry compliance and empowering consumers; and moving towards more consistent legal and economic frameworks.