city university london school of social sciences convergence of ...

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and new services. (Latzer: 1998, p.461-462)The consultation process revealed that, convergent environment necessitates ahorizontal approach that covers both existing and new services in thecommunications sector where competition policy gains importance rather than sectorspecific rules. Horizontal approach means application of same regulatory rules on allnetwork infrastructures regardless of the service carried. Separate regulation ofcarriage and content is also another result emanating from consultation process. It isalso another point to pay attention that regulations should encourage investment fornew services and pay attention to protection of consumers.In 2000, a package of measures for a new regulatory framework has been proposedfor electronic communications networks and services in order to encouragecompetition across Europe, taking into account the complex communicationsenvironment and especially the convergence between telecommunications,broadcasting and information technologies. After the consultation period, the newdirectives regarding regulation of electronic communications sector have beenpublished in 2002. It is stated by EC that „the convergence of thetelecommunications, media and information technology sectors means alltransmission networks and services should be covered by a single regulatoryframework‟ and this new framework satisfied this need (EC:2002 p.33).Issue of content regulation is not included in the new framework since EC states thatit is necessary to separate the regulation of transmission from the regulation ofcontent. It is stated that „audiovisual policy and content regulation are undertaken inpursuit of general interest objectives, such as freedom of expression, mediapluralism, impartiality, cultural and linguistic diversity, social inclusion, consumerprotection and the protection of minors‟ (EC:2002 p.34).4. COUNTRY ANALYSIS: UKMany countries across the world have exerted some efforts in order to cope with thechallenges that stem from convergence and either reshaped their regulatory agencies31
or merged them. This section analyzes the implications of convergence on regulatoryframeworks in UK. Because of the word limitation of the study, only UK is selectedto analyze. UK is one of the earliest and most successful examples in Europe interms of restructuring of ICT sector taking convergence into account and it is pioneerto other European countries. First, institutional framework of the country is put forthand the analysis continue with the situations in the country regarding public interest,content policy, diversity and plurality, universal service and consumer policy issuesin relation to convergence.Communications Act of 2003 has been prepared in order to meet the need for a newconverged framework to cover all communications industry in the UK. Theconverged communications regulator, OFCOM assumed its full powers under theCommunications Act, in response to the convergence in electronic communicationssector. Besides convergence, another contributory factor for foundation of aconverged regulator was the European Commission‟s new set of directives(Ofcom:2005, p.10). OFCOM has a range of duties on telecommunications,television, radio and spectrum issues to ensure the optimal use of electro-magneticspectrum and maintenance of a sufficient plurality of providers of different televisionand radio services (Communication Act 2003). OFCOM replaced five separatebodies such as the Broadcasting Standards Commission, Independent TelevisionCommission, Office of Telecommunications and Spectrum Management AdvisoryGroup. Establishment of a converged regulator can be considered as one of the mostsignificant gainings of new regulatory framework. As it is stated by Shin (2006) thenew approach which is introduced by Communications Act of 2003, „can be seen asa move towards a more horizontal approach for the convergence services. A movingfrom the sectoral regulation means a response to the challenges posed by theconvergence phenomenon‟ (p.48). UK communications regulatory framework isanalyzed in terms of some aspects below:UK has a public broadcasting tradition rooted in both the public and private sector fora long time. As it is stated by Iosifidis (2006) „regulation should re-define andpromote the broader public interest in the new communications environment in orderto incorporate social benefits associated with digital revolution‟ (p.35). With32
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