The government is to establish "light touch" but "effective" communications regulation to oversee the broadcasting revolution, Tessa Jowell has told MPs.

Publishing the long-awaited draft communications bill yesterday, the culture secretary said the government will seek to create a single, powerful regulator to oversee a "fast-moving sector".

"There is general agreement that the existing regulatory framework has become out-dated by the rapid changes in technology, markets, and in consumer behaviour over the last six years," she said.

Forum Response: BBC

A spokesman for the BBC told ePolitix.com: "We welcomed the original recommendations in the communications white paper, which maintained the independence of the modern BBC within a common regulatory framework.

"We fully accept that the BBC should carry more onerous responsibilities than other public service broadcasters, as the secretary of state outlined in her statement.

"The Communications Bill is an important publication. We will be examining it in detail and will be engaging fully with the government's consultation over the coming months.

"The BBC warmly welcomes the secretary of state's commitment to a central role for public service broadcasting in the future."

Forum Response: Independent Television Commission

Sir Robin Biggam, chairman of the ITC, told ePolitix.com: "Publication of the draft bill for consultation represents an important stage in the development of a twenty-first century framework for Britain's communications sector."

Patricia Hodgson, chief executive of the ITC, told ePolitix.com: "The new legislation will play a vital part in bringing audiences the benefits of competition and technological change. The ITC will work hard to help create a simple but effective framework which reduces regulation whilst protection quality.

"There are inevitably areas where the bill needs further polishing to reflect fully emerging policies, but a great deal has already been achieved. We will offer full assistant to the joint scrutiny committee in its review of the draft bill".