ITV issue response to joint committee report

Following the publication of the Report of the Joint Committee on the draft Communications Bill, Clive Jones, Joint Managing Director of ITV, said: “ITV broadly welcomes the recommendations contained in this report, in particular the Committee’s support for single ownership of ITV. This will be an important step forward if ITV is to continue to deliver to viewers high quality programmes made all over the UK in an increasingly competitive television market.
“The Committee also makes an important recommendation to Government to amend the Bill so that satellite viewers can be guaranteed access to the public service channels – BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – through the introduction of effective ‘must carry’ provisions.
“The Committee has also recognised that where the Communications Bill applies to the BBC there is a need for greater clarity. We welcome its recommendation that OFCOM should have a clearer responsibility for overseeing the BBC’s Fair Trading Commitment and ensuring that quotas for the production of programmes from around the UK’s regions should apply to BBC1 and BBC2 individually.
“This is a detailed and lengthy report containing many detailed recommendations. It merits proper consideration by the Government and those in the industry. We hope that its findings will further improve what we believe is a good draft Bill before it is presented to Parliament later this year.”
(GB)