UK Co- and Self-Regulatory Forum established

UK Co- and Self-Regulatory Forum established

Co- and Self-Regulatory Forum

Background

The Co- and Self-Regulatory Forum was established in November 2005 in response to the European Commission’s references in their revised Television Without Frontiers (TVWF) Directive to the important role that co- and self-regulation has in delivering public policy objectives in the audiovisual media sector.

Membership

Advertising Association (representing the Committees of Advertising Practice)
ATVOD (Association for Television On-Demand)
ISPA (Internet Service Providers’ Association)
Mobile Broadband Group
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
Independent Mobile Classification Body (IMCB)
ICSTIS – the premium rate services regulator
Video Standards Council (VSC)

BSG provides the Chair and secretariat for the Forum;
Ofcom, DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) attend as observers;
the Forum also benefits from the input of the BBC and industry bodies including the Confederation of British Industry ~(CBI) and the Digital Content Focum (DCF).

Objectives

A major objective of the forum is to explain how co- and self-regulation are already working as a successful regulatory model in key areas of the UK’s audiovisual media industry.

Co- and self-regulation play a vital role in the effective regulation of communications services in the UK today. They work not just because they can directly and promptly respond to the industry to which they relate, but also because their members have a market incentive to ensure that the services that they provide are in conformity with social standards and public policy objectives.

In particular, co- and self-regulatory initiatives have proved key in the regulation of new media services and, in fact, they are already effectively addressing public policy concerns in a number of areas, including protection of minors and human dignity.

The forum believes that co- and self-regulatory solutions, supported by a strong focus on media literacy programmes, are a critical element of both European and national regulation in this area.