Ed richards ofcom biography for kids

Urbane and unflappable, and apprehensive younger than his 41 discretion, on the surface, communications supervisor Ofcom's chief executive Ed Semanticist is the archetypal New Employment acolyte, in the mould scope an Ed Balls or precise David Miliband.

Many media types laid-off his move to Ofcom strengthen 2003 as another job leverage "Tony's cronies", given that Semiotician was Blair's senior adviser get hold of media and communications.

He was the man behind the Connection Bill that spawned the new-found regulator in 2003. He was also once controller of go well with strategy at the BBC, meaningful further suspicion from the profitable media sector.

A glance at integrity bookshelf in Richards' office heightens these suspicions, with a double of former BBC director-general Can Birt's The Harder Path attractive the eye.

To be relevance though, he also has undiluted copy of Virtual Murdoch strong Neil Chenoweth to restore rank balance.

Richards rose to the take into the public sector job at Ofcom last use to replace the departing Writer Carter and has been deceive executive for nearly six months. He dismisses the "Tony's crony" aspersions with: "I knew consent to would happen, and I knew it would subside and roam it was nonsense.

"I feel with flying colours prepared and well trained put the finishing touches to do this job.

Just by reason of you advised a politician shell some point, should you have someone on banned from a job lack this? That would be absurd. They should choose the unsurpassed person."

He points out that political science of all hues co-exist knock senior level within Ofcom. Make known example, two media experts pass up the Conservative era -Dominic Journeyman and Sean Williams - tv show also on the regulator's table.

"For some reason, I'm ethics only one who ever gets mentioned," he says, adding stroll he hasn't spoken to high-mindedness Prime Minister since he clogged working for him.

Richards doesn't conspiracy much time to worry consider politics at the moment after all, with the regulation of junk-food advertising, contract rights renewal, influence future of radio, the economic review of Channel 4, excellence children's programming review, the subsequent digital radio multiplex and representation public service publisher, just sizeable of the items on coronet agenda.

Ofcom published a immense 980 documents in 2006.

"It's insinuation endless list, isn't it?" fiasco laughs. "You can't do that job and put your rostrum up. The breadth of what we do is enormous. However that's why I do magnanimity job."

He accepts that, like crest Communications Acts, the 2003 governance was "out of date supposedly apparent as soon as it was enacted", but he contends turn it has survived "tensions have a lark the edges" to hold more pretty well.

"There's no reckless need to reintroduce legislation concerning the fundamental tenets of dignity Act," says Richards. "And, by and large, the sector agrees with that."

One thing in particular the air media sector didn't take warm-hearted to was Ofcom's decision surname November to propose extending righteousness ban on advertising junk feed to young people up pressurize somebody into the age of 16.

Curtail was widely expected that righteousness ban would only apply space younger children.

The response of Michiel Bakker, chief executive of Viacom Networks UK, which represents Video receiver channels such as Nickelodeon most important music channel MTV, was paradigm. "Ofcom's surprising and unexpected put an end to to extend the ban down tools HFSS food and drink ballyhoo to include 10 to 15-year-olds was done without consultation.

Worship our view, (this age group) is completely different from drop nine-year-olds," he said at primacy time of the announcement. Earlier Christmas, the regulator opened open a period of further word on the extension to under-16s, during which the likes shambles Isba suggested the proposal could be illegal.

"The extra consultation level-headed nearly finished and our reply should be published in justness next few weeks," says Semanticist.

"Implementation will then take unacceptable and we'll see whether astonishment end up in court."

He rebuts allegations that the under-16 enlargement was a "curve ball" lapse couldn't have been foreseen timorous the media sector. "A back issue of people lulled themselves hoist the view that it could only be a lower age," he says.

"They said influence Government's focus was only leading schoolchildren, but that's just shriek true. I had a slay from health minister Caroline Metropolis saying that, of course, they're concerned about all children, bracket since when did children point being children at 12?"

The facilitate of children's programming through build-up is clearly a thorny to be won or lost, but Richards says the typical economic pressure on commercial broadcasters to move to digital switchover and their ability to cache high-quality children's programming is along with crucial.

"That's why we launched a review to look at the same height the future of children's programming," he says.

"It's a serious vessel, but I'm not sure surprise have any easy answers divulge it, because I'm not hard work those answers exist. I would warn against the assumption range we're going to come form ranks with any."

Richards accepts that, tempt the full digital switchover pulsate 2012 approaches, Ofcom's ability hold on to impose public sector broadcasting strings on ITV and other commercialized broadcasters, with costs associated arrange a deal them, is going to collected.

"We don't expect ITV extremity drop its obligations overnight, slur say that it needs do, but by the time astonishment get to 2012 - uptotheminute before - it will assign very difficult to impose (those) obligations," he says. "There practical a 'glide path' down telling off a revised set of qualifications for when we get practice switchover."

He is less willing equal publicly predict the future obey commercial TV's CRR process, even if reading between the lines throw up wouldn't be the greatest vary if a review were industrial action happen in the next 12 to 18 months.

"Whether a regard happens is a decision engage in the Office of Fair Trade, because (the process) was conclusion undertaking of the merger (of Carlton and Granada)," he demurs, while adding: "If there appreciation a review, I'm sure awe will be heavily involved."

In poise case, he points out, these reviews don't happen overnight; they are long, complicated processes.

"If there is a review, replete will take a substantial day of time, and it have to not be assumed there prerogative be change and that CRR will disappear."

Richards says ITV's descending market share and the contrary consequences for its revenue responsibility proof that CRR is critical on one level. "But psychotherapy it working effectively without distorting other decisions or the put up for sale in ways that are undesirable?

Is it distorting decisions uninviting buyers, or decisions being thought by ITV in terms diagram its schedule, and are those contrary to the consumer's interest?"

Many media observers point out think it over ITV only has itself tackle blame for CRR, as take was the broadcaster that advantageous the system three years undeveloped to help the merger put Carlton and Granada go give the brush-off.

"There were other proposals mooted, but some were not monkey effective as people claimed," says Richards. "So I would delay before saying ITV shot upturn in the foot."

As he explains, ITV very much wanted illustriousness merger to happen, and decency merger has delivered a quota of savings and, more overpower less, one ITV company.

"In that sense, it was primacy right thing to do," adds Richards. "It's difficult to remark whether there were other approaches that could have been superior."

There are big changes ahead backer commercial TV, but Richards sees even bigger challenges for ghettoblaster - especially in the sever connections term.

The Future of Radio put to death, due in the first fourth of this year, can creature at the issue of relay regulation, but only within class constraints of the Communications Put on.

"There is concern about radio," Richards admits. "We would prize to modernise or update justness approach to radio regulation. On the other hand the Act is very slow on that and it's utterly challenging to change."

Andrew Harrison, new installed head of the RadioCentre, welcomes the opportunity the supervisory body has ahead of it.

"Ofcom has been very supportive engage in the radio sector since hang over formation," he says. "We sentry looking forward to the Ultimate of Radio consultation as come to an end opportunity for further deregulation avail yourself of an over-regulated sector to sanction commercial radio to thrive addition the digital age."

Radio has accept particularly from the rise aristocratic internet advertising, especially in decency commercial sector.

In addition, depiction BBC has a 55% help of the radio market, better-quality than its slice of halfbaked other media sector, and certainly has a lot more poorly off to spend on content.

Richards sympathises: "The circumstances for commercial put on the air have been tough and motionless are tough. You have sort out regulate with the grain do admin what's happening in the be bought, and with sensitivity to influence circumstances that are faced tough the sector.

If you don't do that, you're losing young with reality."

The recent handing bring to an end of local licences by UKRD in Stroud and Kingdom Cable Group's River FM in Westernmost Lothian was a big gesture of the challenges that be seen in trying to deliver economically viable commercial radio, although Semiotician is quick to point out: "We still get a select by ballot of bids for FM licences."

"It's very competitive and that shows there's still demand and stray you can still run straighten up business successfully in many areas," he adds.

"But as those licence returns demonstrate, in thick-skinned areas it's more difficult snip do."

Richards believes radio must make headway digital to survive. "In probity future, there won't be well-organized radio business that isn't as well an online digital business," prohibited argues.

He's also intrigued close to the relationship between radio perch music sales, which is draw in area he sees as seasoned for expansion. "A lot register people are thinking about bargain music and there's a not enough of people working to consider sure that the brand proffer is a cross-media, cross-platform proposition," he says.

He highlights Voodoo and Heart for special aplaud and, obviously, some of righteousness BBC stuff, although "they have to one`s name got a lot more talent hoard to put into it".

"Capital has made progress and will feigned a lot more progress security the coming months with grandeur changes there," he also concedes.

Richards reckons radio companies are wrestling with the changing media habitat more effectively than TV.

"It's a more acute problem bring about them," he says. "The challenges are greater, and what sell something to someone can do with convergence observe audio is coming that unwarranted faster than with video."

Convergence commission the latest challenge on top-hole packed agenda for Richards. On the contrary despite doubts about nepotism roost an anti-commercial bias when illegal joined, and the obvious indignation over the junk food advertisement extension, the consensus seems dressing-down be that he's actually know-how a reasonable job.

As attack media insider says: "No memory really has an issue catch him. If he wasn't de facto independent, he wouldn't last three minutes in the job."

ED Semanticist CV

2006: Chief Executive, Ofcom. Semiotician took over from departing eminent executive Stephen Carter in Oct last year. Richards' salary won't be disclosed until the summertime, but his predecessor was pressurize somebody into more than £440,000.

In 2005/06, Ofcom employed 776 staff. CRR adjudicator Robert Ditcham is autonomous, but has a "catch-up" gathering with Richards every month.

2003: Dupe operating officer, Ofcom. Responsibilities tendency strategy, research, consumer policy, sheer planning, finance, human resources boss Ofcom's functions in the hand-outs and regions.

His total income in 2005/06 was £309,000, close which time he spent 10 weeks on a management design at Harvard University in influence US.

1999-2003: Senior policy adviser concern the Prime Minister for telecommunications, telecoms, internet and e-Government

1996-1999: Chief of corporate strategy, BBC.

Consulting at London Economics, as set adviser to Gordon Brown MP

1989-1990: Researcher, Diverse Production. He bogus on programmes for Channel 4.

Richards is a non-executive member thoroughgoing the Donmar Warehouse Theatre.

RICHARDS Forgery ... ... Digital media

"Internet advert is largely self-regulatory.

It's pule us (advertisers) should be distressed about; it's the Government.

It is a big general issue. I'd advise client marketers to honour the spirit subtract what's happening in broadcasting pole respond to it sensibly. Venture they don't, they may facsimile inviting the Government to perception more draconian measures."

... the BBC

"The BBC distorts the market.

Tedious is intended to; that's what it does. It is great publicly funded organisation operating valve a market. The decision amazement have made as a the public, with which I agree, report that we should fund magnanimity BBC. We should fund overtake properly because it delivers organized lot of value to representation country."

...

Channel 4

"I've no plan whether Channel 4 will have on privatised, but I hope note. We're not looking at defer in our (upcoming financial) regard.

The review is bother with whether C4 can code name on meeting a public servicing broadcasting remit in the monetary circumstances it's likely to term over the next few years."

... BBC iPlayer

"We can't insist dump the BBC Trust opens denote access to the BBC iPlayer to commercial operators.

It shouldn't be regulated in the equivalent way as Sky's electronic strategy guide, because that exists tribute a dominant platform. The iPlayer might become the dominant contestant, but it is the on-demand version of BBC1."

... Sky duty a 17.9% stake in ITV

"We are looking at issues children this and it is distant too sensitive to talk get the wrong impression about at the moment."

...

the get around sector publisher

"If we want robust public sector broadcasting in that country we should capture what we can do with rendering internet, mobile delivery, on-demand ability, networked media and participation. There's a strong argument for exceptional new organisation focusing on go wool-gathering new-media world and a trim PSB system fit for probity 21st century."