[commedia] CRCA Press Release

[CMA]

PRESS RELEASE

25 January 2002

CRCA RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT’S CONSULTATION
ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP

The Commercial Radio Companies Association today published its response to 
the Government’s Consultation on Media Ownership. The CRCA’s proposals 
encourage a dynamic market and guarantee plurality, diversity and quality 
for the listener.  The submission makes the following key points:


·       That the current radio ownership points system should be abolished, 
to be replaced by conventional competition law.

·       That the way to “deregulate further” the local ownership scheme 
that the CRCA agreed with the Radio Authority, would be to raise above 50% 
the percentage of points within a market which one operator could own.

·       That analogue local ownership rules be applied to ownership of 
local digital radio services, until the time when there are more than two 
local multiplexes in one area. At this point conventional competition laws 
should apply.

·       That proposals for a moratorium post new licence award should be 
avoided.

·       That reciprocity should be the key to foreign ownership of UK media 
companies.  This means that foreign investors should be allowed to invest 
in UK radio up to the extent that UK companies can invest in the country 
concerned.

·       That cross-media ownership barriers should be lowered as soon as 
possible using a sliding scale administered by OFCOM.

Paul Brown, Chief Executive of the CRCA, comments,

“The reduction in ownership and other regulation allowed by the 1990 
broadcasting legislation was good for the UK commercial radio industry and 
its listeners.  A further lightening of the regulatory burden is now 
overdue and will further increase the choice and quality offered by UK 
commercial radio”.



ENDS


For further information contact Alison Winter on 020 7306 2603

Notes to Editors:

1.      The CRCA is the trade association for UK commercial radio.  It is a 
voluntary, non-profit-making body, formed by the first radio companies when 
Independent Radio began in 1973.
2.      The full submission can be viewed at www.crca.co.uk