House of Lords

Session 2007-08 Publications on the internet Communications Committee Publications

Communications - First Report Here you can browse the report which was ordered by the House of Lords to be printed 11 June 2008. CONTENTS Terms of Reference SUMMARY CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 2: THE STATE OF THE MEDIA The national newspaper industry Why are fewer people reading newspapers? New technologies The internet News aggregator sites SMS, news on mobile devices, pod casts etc 24 hour television news Lifestyle changes Impact of distribution methods The advent of the free-sheet The decline of advertising revenue How is the national newspaper industry responding to these challenges? Promotional techniques Views not news A "softer" news agenda? Making the most of the internet and multi-skilling Making savings The regional and local newspaper industry National television news The evolution of the television news market Regulation of television news News beyond the Public Service Broadcasters The health of television news Why are television news audiences in decline? How is the television news industry responding to these challenges? Regional television news Radio news BBC Radio Commercial radio National commercial radio news Local commercial radio news News and the new media Conclusion CHAPTER 3: WHY DOES OWNERSHIP MATTER? Direct intervention Indirect influence of an owner The business approach of an owner Different approaches to journalism Different ownership structures Conclusion CHAPTER 4: WHY CONSOLIDATION MATTERS Introduction National Press Ownership Table 1: Top ten national newspaper publishers Regional and local press ownership Table 2: Top ten regional newspaper publishers Television news ownership Table 3: Television news broadcasters and producers Radio news ownership Table 4: Radio news broadcasters Online news ownership The causes of consolidation The case against consolidation The effect on localism and investment in journalism Cross-promotion Restricting market entry and diminishing pluralism The relationship between media owners and politicians Conclusion CHAPTER 5: THE CASE FOR MEDIA OWNERSHIP REGULATION Are concerns about ownership outdated? Internal safeguards Self-regulation of the newspaper industry CHAPTER 6: CHANGES TO MEDIA OWNERSHIP REGULATION The standard merger regime The media merger regime The considerations in the Public Interest Test The considerations for newspaper mergers Scope of the Public Interest Test The role of Ministers Streamlining the process Clarifying the remit of Ofcom Ofcom's Content Board Local media ownership Local radio ownership Local cross-media ownership rules Non-EEA ownership of UK Broadcasting CHAPTER 7: THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING The BBC The commercial PSB channels How can PSB channels be afforded? Privatising Channel 4? The future of local and regional news Are changes needed to the regulatory framework governing PSBs? Are changes needed to the code of standards all broadcast news is subject to? Impartiality on the non-PSB channels Impartiality on foreign based news channels CHAPTER 8: THE MEDIA AND PARLIAMENT CHAPTER 9: SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS APPENDIX 1: Select Committee on Communications APPENDIX 2: List of Witnesses APPENDIX 3: Calls for Evidence APPENDIX 4: Minute of the visit to the USA APPENDIX 5: National Newspaper Readership Table 5: Readership figures for the top ten national daily newspaper titles between 1992 and 2006 Table 6: Readership figures for the top ten national Sunday titles between 1992 and 2006 NOTE: References in the text of the report are as follows: (Q) refers to a question in oral evidence (p) refers to a page of written evidence The Report of the Committee is published in Volume I (HL Paper 122-I) and the Evidence is published in Volume II (HL Paper 122-II) MINUTES OF EVIDENCE - VOLUME II (HL 122-II) Wednesday 4 July 2007 Wednesday 11 July 2007 Wednesday 18 July 2007 Wednesday 25 July 2007 Wednesday 10 October 2007 Wednesday 17 October 2007 Wednesday 24 October 2007 Wednesday 14 November 2007 Wednesday 21 November 2007 Wednesday 28 November 2007 Wednesday 5 December 2007 Thursday 6 December 2007 Wednesday 9 January 2008 Wednesday 16 January 2008 Wednesday 23 January 2008 Wednesday 30 January 2008 Wednesday 6 February 2008 Wednesday 27 February 2008 Wednesday 19 March 2008 Wednesday 26 March 2008 Wednesday 2 April 2008 Wednesday 23 April 2008 Tuesday 20 May 2008 WRITTEN EVIDENCE - VOLUME II (HL 122-II)

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