Safeguards are needed to prevent potential abuses of power by the government's planned communications regulator, a report has warned.

Published on Friday by parliament's joint committee on human rights, the report is particularly concerned about the compatibility of the bill with the European Convention on Human Rights, which became British law in 1998.

MPs and peers expressed particular concern at powers being given to Ofcom, the new watchdog, to require broadcasters to transmit apologies and corrections, and to prohibit any political advertising, either on radio or television.

It could also be illegal to grant religious groups licences for local radio broadcasting but not national licences for radio or television, the committee warned.

There were also concerns about the rights to privacy and to a fair trial given Ofcom's power to require people to provide information for certain purposes.

Ministers were also warned that there were insufficient restrictions on the culture secretary's power to restrict or suspend transmission by a service provider.

"We consider that the government should introduce provisions into the bill to make this power more specific in order to provide adequate safeguards for human rights," the report said.