Press Release
Civil society groups to be forced out of rare communications opportunity
13th December 2007
Key figures from across the charity, community and broadcast and communications sectors have today expressed their disappointment at the communications regulator, Ofcom’s, decision to auction off one of the largest “bundles” of airwaves to ever become available in the UK – effectively excluding a wide range of groups from being able to acquire it.
The auction process for the airwaves, which will be freed as a result of the switch from analogue to digital TV broadcasting in the UK, could be underway as early as late 2008.
The Public Voice coalition; which includes some of the UK’s largest community broadcasters, such as the CMA and Media Trust, and some of the largest names from the voluntary sector such as NCVO, CSV, IBT, Timebank and VLV; had hoped that some of these airwaves could be held back to allow local and national broadcasters with public service, community and social action agendas to extend their reach and keep up with the latest developments in broadcast and communications. However, the coalition and its supporters now fear that such groups will be out-bid by broadcasters who wish to use the airwaves purely for commercial gain.
Public Voice’s project manager for the consultation, Rebecca Fulton, said:
“This decision shows that the regulator has failed to understand its basic duty to UK citizens. National broadcasters with citizen-focussed remits will be unable to compete against large, commercial players for spectrum; and even spectrum packages suitable for local, community broadcasts are not being reserved solely for local use or activities that support public service, community and social action aims.
“We will now be calling on Ofcom and Government to look very carefully at the auction process to see if modifications can be made to allow civil society groups to participate.”
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