Explainer-in-brief: The latest BBC impartiality row October 25, 2022 “Am I allowed to be this gleeful? Well, I am” were the perhaps unfortunate words of BBC presenter Martine Croxall on Sunday night. She made the remark while reviewing how the papers covered Boris Johnson’s decision to step out of the leadership race. Her comment sparked the latest squabble over the broadcaster’s impartiality, with seasoned [...]
Kudos for OnlyFans: Watchdog says smaller video platforms need to do more to protect kids October 20, 2022 New research from Ofcom has found that smaller adult video-sharing platforms need to do more to prevent children from accessing porn. In a report published today, the media regulator said it was concerned that whilst smaller companies had some age verification measures in place, they did not go far enough. One unnamed adult platform told [...]
Vodafone boss: Talking a big game won’t help Britain win the 5G race without action October 14, 2022 While the opportunity is clear, and our politicians are busy talking up the possibilities, the current numbers don’t add up.
Virgin Media O2 slashes social tariff broadband price for struggling Brits October 11, 2022 Virgin Media O2 has slashed the price of its social tariff as the telecom giant follows calls to support the hardest hit by macroeconomic headwinds. The price of the basic band, which is specifically targeted at those receiving Universal Credit, will drop by 16 per cent to £12.50 per month for all new and existing customers, making [...]
Online tech regulation needs to change business models, not censor content October 7, 2022 Molly Russell’s tragic story highlights why regulation is needed. But the Online Safety Bill is not the answer.
Mark Kleinman: Vodafone pressure, steel woes and a new business boss October 6, 2022 Mark Kleinman is the man the City reads – and in his fortnightly column for City A.M., he shares his insight and analysis. Vodafone boss hopes deal eases the pressure At last, an engaged tone. Two months after I wrote in this column that Nick Read, the Vodafone chief executive, was looking nervously over his [...]
Connecting? Vodafone confirms merger talks with Three UK October 3, 2022 Vodafone confirmed it was in merger talks with Three UK this morning, setting the scene to become the largest mobile telecoms supplier in Britain. The FTSE 100 firm said it was in discussions with CK Hutchison, Three’s Hong-Kong parent company, with the view of combining the two UK arms, with Vodafone owning 51 per cent [...]
Broadband giants told to do more as eight million homes struggle to pay bills September 29, 2022 The media regulator has called on broadband firms to do more to help struggling households, as more than eight million homes struggle to pay their bills. According to a new Ofcom study, nearly a third (29 per cent) of customers are having problems paying for their phone, broadband, pay-TV and streaming bills, doubling since 2021 to the highest figure [...]
Ofcom widens net for Big Tech probe September 22, 2022 Ofcom will be widening the scope of its probe into Big Tech, digging into competition concerns surrounding the cloud services space. The media regulator said this morning that it would launch a market study into the sector to ensure that markets are working well for people and businesses in the UK. Cloud services have exploded [...]
Online safety rules for tech firms must encourage – not restrict – future growth August 31, 2022 Making ends meet will be a challenge for everyone and will be weighing heavily on the minds of families, businesses and policymakers right now. Immediate help must be the priority. But as the UK enters a period of stagflation those charged with the stewardship of the UK economy must also take a long-term view delivering [...]