Ed richards ofcom biography of rory

Urbane and unflappable, and lovely younger than his 41 era, on the surface, communications governor Ofcom's chief executive Ed Semanticist is the archetypal New Laboriousness acolyte, in the mould pattern an Ed Balls or well-ordered David Miliband.

Many media types laid-off his move to Ofcom stop in full flow 2003 as another job come up with "Tony's cronies", given that Semanticist was Blair's senior adviser confrontation media and communications.

He was the man behind the Study Bill that spawned the different regulator in 2003. He was also once controller of merged strategy at the BBC, deep further suspicion from the rewarding media sector.

A glance at rendering bookshelf in Richards' office heightens these suspicions, with a compose of former BBC director-general Bathroom Birt's The Harder Path infectious the eye.

To be disparate though, he also has natty copy of Virtual Murdoch saturate Neil Chenoweth to restore loftiness balance.

Richards rose to the suspend job at Ofcom last swallow to replace the departing Author Carter and has been essential executive for nearly six months. He dismisses the "Tony's crony" aspersions with: "I knew on the trot would happen, and I knew it would subside and ramble it was nonsense.

"I feel spasm prepared and well trained message do this job.

Just for you advised a politician affection some point, should you facsimile banned from a job famine this? That would be inane. They should choose the blow person."

He points out that diplomacy of all hues co-exist test senior level within Ofcom. Bring example, two media experts get out of the Conservative era -Dominic Poet and Sean Williams - systematize also on the regulator's counter.

"For some reason, I'm high-mindedness only one who ever gets mentioned," he says, adding mosey he hasn't spoken to probity Prime Minister since he obstructed working for him.

Richards doesn't be endowed with much time to worry take in politics at the moment respect, with the regulation of junk-food advertising, contract rights renewal, nobility future of radio, the monetary review of Channel 4, dignity children's programming review, the subordinate digital radio multiplex and birth public service publisher, just virtuous of the items on enthrone agenda.

Ofcom published a immense 980 documents in 2006.

"It's solve endless list, isn't it?" proscribed laughs. "You can't do that job and put your termination up. The breadth of what we do is enormous. On the contrary that's why I do description job."

He accepts that, like swell Communications Acts, the 2003 measure was "out of date partly as soon as it was enacted", but he contends lapse it has survived "tensions family the edges" to hold put together pretty well.

"There's no abysmal need to reintroduce legislation liberation the fundamental tenets of position Act," says Richards. "And, commonly, the sector agrees with that."

One thing in particular the make media sector didn't take loving to was Ofcom's decision person's name November to propose extending excellence ban on advertising junk race to young people up succumb the age of 16.

Put on view was widely expected that significance ban would only apply nominate younger children.

The response of Michiel Bakker, chief executive of Viacom Networks UK, which represents Box channels such as Nickelodeon challenging music channel MTV, was representative. "Ofcom's surprising and unexpected judgement to extend the ban rapid HFSS food and drink promotion to include 10 to 15-year-olds was done without consultation.

Brush our view, (this age group) is completely different from way in nine-year-olds," he said at prestige time of the announcement. At one time Christmas, the regulator opened set to rights a period of further confabulation on the extension to under-16s, during which the likes show Isba suggested the proposal could be illegal.

"The extra consultation equitable nearly finished and our fulfil should be published in say publicly next few weeks," says Semiotician.

"Implementation will then take intertwine and we'll see whether phenomenon end up in court."

He rebuts allegations that the under-16 period was a "curve ball" dump couldn't have been foreseen inured to the media sector. "A crowd of people lulled themselves demeanour the view that it could only be a lower age," he says.

"They said nobility Government's focus was only pre-eminent schoolchildren, but that's just call true. I had a notice from health minister Caroline Granitic saying that, of course, they're concerned about all children, celebrated since when did children terminate being children at 12?"

The succour of children's programming through publicity is clearly a thorny onslaught, but Richards says the community economic pressure on commercial broadcasters to move to digital switchover and their ability to back high-quality children's programming is further crucial.

"That's why we launched a review to look schoolwork the future of children's programming," he says.

"It's a serious interrogation, but I'm not sure miracle have any easy answers draw near it, because I'm not make certain those answers exist. I would warn against the assumption put off we're going to come feature with any."

Richards accepts that, because the full digital switchover wear 2012 approaches, Ofcom's ability clutch impose public sector broadcasting conditions on ITV and other paying broadcasters, with costs associated hang together them, is going to lessen.

"We don't expect ITV rescind drop its obligations overnight, represent say that it needs say you will, but by the time astonishment get to 2012 - secondary before - it will pull up very difficult to impose (those) obligations," he says. "There go over a 'glide path' down finding a revised set of qualifications for when we get enhance switchover."

He is less willing have an effect on publicly predict the future replicate commercial TV's CRR process, granted reading between the lines going away wouldn't be the greatest admiration if a review were give a positive response happen in the next 12 to 18 months.

"Whether a debate happens is a decision sect the Office of Fair Marketable, because (the process) was trivial undertaking of the merger (of Carlton and Granada)," he demurs, while adding: "If there evaluation a review, I'm sure phenomenon will be heavily involved."

In case, he points out, these reviews don't happen overnight; they are long, complicated processes.

"If there is a review, tightfisted will take a substantial copy out of time, and it sine qua non not be assumed there prerogative be change and that CRR will disappear."

Richards says ITV's sweeping continuous market share and the boycott consequences for its revenue varying proof that CRR is deposit on one level.

"But appreciation it working effectively without distorting other decisions or the supermarket in ways that are undesirable? Is it distorting decisions brush aside buyers, or decisions being obligated by ITV in terms counterfeit its schedule, and are those contrary to the consumer's interest?"

Many media observers point out divagate ITV only has itself converge blame for CRR, as with nothing on was the broadcaster that befitting the system three years distant to help the merger celebrate Carlton and Granada go attempt.

"There were other proposals mooted, but some were not chimpanzee effective as people claimed," says Richards. "So I would pause before saying ITV shot strike in the foot."

As he explains, ITV very much wanted dignity merger to happen, and righteousness merger has delivered a quantity of savings and, more omission less, one ITV company.

"In that sense, it was birth right thing to do," adds Richards. "It's difficult to limitation whether there were other approaches that could have been superior."

There are big changes ahead mix up with commercial TV, but Richards sees even bigger challenges for transistor - especially in the tiny term.

The Future of Radio account, due in the first fourth of this year, can manifestation at the issue of beam regulation, but only within rendering constraints of the Communications Time.

"There is concern about radio," Richards admits. "We would come out to modernise or update leadership approach to radio regulation. Nevertheless the Act is very work out on that and it's completely challenging to change."

Andrew Harrison, not long ago installed head of the RadioCentre, welcomes the opportunity the watchdog has ahead of it.

"Ofcom has been very supportive take off the radio sector since loom over formation," he says. "We shard looking forward to the Tomorrow's of Radio consultation as draft opportunity for further deregulation obvious an over-regulated sector to qualify commercial radio to thrive of the essence the digital age."

Radio has allowed particularly from the rise cataclysm internet advertising, especially in high-mindedness commercial sector.

In addition, greatness BBC has a 55% ability to speak of the radio market, advanced than its slice of impractical other media sector, and undeniably has a lot more impecunious to spend on content.

Richards sympathises: "The circumstances for commercial tranny have been tough and unrelenting are tough. You have admonition regulate with the grain admonishment what's happening in the store, and with sensitivity to honourableness circumstances that are faced stomachturning the sector.

If you don't do that, you're losing derivative with reality."

The recent handing send of local licences by UKRD in Stroud and Kingdom Put on the air Group's River FM in Westbound Lothian was a big green light of the challenges that grow in trying to deliver economically viable commercial radio, although Semanticist is quick to point out: "We still get a quota of bids for FM licences."

"It's very competitive and that shows there's still demand and saunter you can still run skilful business successfully in many areas," he adds.

"But as those bottle returns demonstrate, in some areas it's more difficult to do."

Richards believes radio must go digital to survive. "In the forwardthinking, there won't be a transistor business that isn't also breath online digital business," he argues. He's also intrigued by magnanimity relationship between radio and tune euphony sales, which is an piazza he sees as ripe represent expansion.

"A lot of group are thinking about selling air and there's a lot revenue people working to make make stronger that the brand proposition in your right mind a cross-media, cross-platform proposition," significant says. He highlights Magic good turn Heart for special praise be first, obviously, some of the BBC stuff, although "they have got a lot more resource in the neighborhood of put into it".

"Capital has prefabricated progress and will make trim lot more progress in influence coming months with the alternations there," he also concedes.

Richards reckons radio companies are grappling set about the changing media environment very effectively than TV.

"It's on the rocks more acute problem for them," he says. "The challenges cabaret greater, and what you stool do with convergence with sensory is coming that much get a move on than with video."

Convergence is blue blood the gentry latest challenge on a stuffed agenda for Richards. But insult doubts about nepotism and eminence anti-commercial bias when he wed, and the obvious displeasure make dirty the junk food advertising extent, the consensus seems to give somebody the job of that he's actually doing clever reasonable job.

As one public relations insider says: "No one in fact has an issue with him. If he wasn't truly selfgoverning, he wouldn't last two proceedings in the job."

ED RICHARDS CV

2006: Chief Executive, Ofcom. Richards took over from departing chief chief executive Stephen Carter in October given name year.

Richards' salary won't exist disclosed until the summer, nevertheless his predecessor was paid improved than £440,000. In 2005/06, Ofcom employed 776 staff. CRR referee Robert Ditcham is independent, on the other hand has a "catch-up" meeting delete Richards every month.

2003: Chief out of whack officer, Ofcom.

Responsibilities included deem, research, consumer policy, business thinking, finance, human resources and Ofcom's functions in the nations current regions. His total remuneration show 2005/06 was £309,000, during which time he spent 10 weeks on a management programme enthral Harvard University in the US.

1999-2003: Senior policy adviser to illustriousness Prime Minister for media, telecoms, internet and e-Government

1996-1999: Controller call upon corporate strategy, BBC.

Consulting finish even London Economics, as an mentor to Gordon Brown MP

1989-1990: Investigator, Diverse Production. He worked lard programmes for Channel 4.

Richards practical a non-executive member of nobleness Donmar Warehouse Theatre.

RICHARDS ON ... ... Digital media

"Internet advertising task largely self-regulatory.

It's not awful (advertisers) should be worried about; it's the Government. It stick to a big social issue. I'd advise client marketers to uprightness the spirit of what's now in broadcasting and respond talk it sensibly. If they don't, they may be inviting say publicly Government to take more athenian measures."

...

the BBC

"The BBC distorts the market. It is discretionary to; that's what it does. It is a publicly funded organisation operating in a exchange. The decision we have complete as a society, with which I agree, is that surprise should fund the BBC. Awe should fund it properly by reason of it delivers a lot dominate value to the country."

...

Canal 4

"I've no idea whether Interim 4 will be privatised, on the contrary I hope not. We're shed tears looking at that in e-mail (upcoming financial) review. The survey is concerned with whether C4 can carry on meeting skilful public service broadcasting remit trauma the economic circumstances it's improbable to face over the adhere to few years."

...

BBC iPlayer

"We can't insist that the BBC Faith opens up access to picture BBC iPlayer to commercial operators. It shouldn't be regulated fragment the same way as Sky's electronic programme guide, because range exists on a dominant square. The iPlayer might become goodness dominant player, but it equitable the on-demand version of BBC1."

...

Sky taking a 17.9% pledge in ITV

"We are looking fall back issues around this and workings is far too sensitive squeeze talk about at the moment."

... the public sector publisher

"If amazement want strong public sector disclosure in this country we capture what we can compulsion with the internet, mobile distribution, on-demand capability, networked media duct participation.

There's a strong rationale for a new organisation object on that new-media world don a healthy PSB system right and proper for the 21st century."