To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference
to Ofcom's report, children's content review: update, published on 24 July 2018, what
discussions he has had with Ofcom on consulting stakeholders and industry on plans
for the future provision of children's programmes on television and online.
<p>Ministers and officials hold regular discussions with Ofcom on a range of issues,
including on the provision of children’s content.</p><p> </p><p>With the Digital Economy
Act 2017, Ofcom was given new powers to publish criteria on commercial public service
broadcasters’ provision of children’s programming and, if appropriate, to set related
conditions. In response to this, in November 2017 Ofcom launched a review of children’s
content. Ofcom has asked the public service broadcasters to develop and share their
plans to address Ofcom’s concerns on children’s content and we look forward to Ofcom’s
assessment of these plans in due course.</p><p> </p><p>The government is also providing
direct support to the development of children’s content through the Contestable Fund
pilot, which will provide up to £60 million to help stimulate the provision and plurality
of UK-originated content for young audiences and radio.</p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress
she has made on implementing the provision in the Digital Economy Act 2017 on introducing
a new Ofcom power on public service broadcasting criteria for the commissioning of
children’s content; and what the timetable is for the formal stakeholder consultation
to begin.
The government gave Ofcom powers, through the Digital Economy Act 2017, to publish
criteria for children's programmes and, where appropriate, to set conditions on licensed
public service channels to ensure that children’s programming meets the criteria.
On 29 November Ofcom launched a Review of Children's Content and have invited initial
input to the review by 31 January 2018. It intends to publish its findings, alongside
any proposed regulatory measures, in summer 2018.
