O regulador britânico intervém na programação

É, penso, um caso único na Europa (e, muito mais, nos EUA): o regulador audiovisual britânico, OFCOM, intervém quando determinada rádio muda o tipo de programação que «contratuliza» com esse regulador (o formato). Este caso, recente, é ilucidativo (até dos próprios receios das rádios) – não podiam passar música irlandesa porque não tinha essa uatorização:

« Ofcom has issued a ‘yellow card’ to CN Radio’s Touch FM in Coventry for a format breach. The regulator said Touch FM's general music policy was acceptable but specialist Irish music output was being broadcast in an inaccessible timeslot of 12am to 5am on Mondays.
Ofcom deemed this to be "contrary to the spirit of the format" and has asked the station to remedy the problem, which Touch FM has agreed to do.
The 'yellow card' is a way of identifying and rectifying format problems without having to sanction the station with financial penalties or by shortening the licence length.
Jon Hewson, chief executive, CN Radio, said: "We believe that we are programming Touch FM Coventry very well within its format requirements and that the yellow card is somewhat harsh."
He feared that Ofcom's move would set a worrying precedent for the radio industry following its policy of 'light touch' regulation.
"The station's format document does not state any timing requirements for the specialist show. I think that it's a very worrying signal if the regulator starts talking about the spirit of a format and introduces a significant grey area in this way."

 

Fonte: « Ofcom asks Touch FM to revise specialist policy», Mediaweek, Amanda Lennon, Publication Date 2006-04-25 12:15 PM