Purnell: Is Ofcom strong enough?
- Published: 29 October 2007 18:53
- Author: David Rose
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 30 October 2007 12:08
Media secretary James Purnell has asked Ofcom whether control over broadcasting needs to be strengthened following the recent call TV quiz show scandals.
He invited the Conservative party to put forward their own suggestions for strengthening controls so they could be considered. The minister announced the review in the House of Commons yesterday (29 October).
Purnell has written to the media regulator inviting it to consider whether the boundaries between itself and Icstis (the premium rate telephone regulator) should be examined and whether there is a need to strengthen regulation.
“It is unacceptable for people to be cheated out of their money,” he told MPs. “I do have confidence in Ofcom in the way they are treating this issue pro-actively. However, I have asked Ofcom to advise this House whether the regulatory regime is robust enough.”
He told Tory shadow media secretary Jeremy Hunt that if he had any suggestions to make, “we would be very happy to hear them.”
Hunt said the regulatory regime was failing to work properly and there had been clear breaches of the broadcasting code.
Purnell said: “I very much agree with you. What happened was unacceptable.”
