UK spectrum regulator Ofcom has granted “temporary authorisation” for SpaceX’s Starlink service to harness the E band (71-76GHz and 81-86GHz) frequencies for their mega-constellation of compact ultrafast broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The move will reportedly boost Starlnk’s backhaul data capacity at their three UK gateway Earth station sites. Starlink has reportedly been […]
UK comms regulator Ofcom has announced the final results of its mmWave spectrum auction, following completion of the remaining stages. On October 16th, Ofcom announced the results of the Principal stage, which determined how much spectrum each of the three bidders – EE, O2 and VodafoneThree – had won, and how much they had committed […]
Research from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) reveals that almost all parents (98 per cent) check age ratings when selecting films or TV shows for their children to watch on streaming services. In a survey of 2,000 parents of 3-16 year olds in the UK who subscribe to at least one streaming service, […]
Ofcom has issued new guidance to broadcasters about politicians presenting news, following its consultation on this issue. The media regulator says the guidance, which comes into force immediately, reflects the modern news landscape and sets guardrails for broadcasters who use politicians as presenters in programmes that include news. Specifically, the revised guidance explains the interaction […]
An Ofcom investigation has found that the BBC documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone broke broadcasting rules which state that factual programmes must not materially mislead the audience. Ofcom received 20 complaints which had completed the ‘BBC First’ process. Ofcom’s investigation also considered the findings from the BBC’s own internal review, which concluded that […]
UK comms regulator Ofcom has announced the outcome of the Principal stage of its auction to release more airwaves to improve 5G in the busiest places. A total of 5.4 GHz of spectrum was up for grabs – the most ever to be made available in an Ofcom auction. This spectrum, known as ‘mmWave’ because […]
Research from the BBFC shows that two in five young people (45 per cent) have watched a film or TV series that negatively affected their mental wellbeing. Of those, almost all (97 per cent) said the content had some impact on them with nearly half (46 per cent) saying it stayed with them for a […]
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has launched its inaugural BBFC Education Week, running from Monday 6 to Friday 10 October. The week’s worth of activity will highlight the BBFC’s wide range of educational initiatives, from free school talks and classroom resources to the BBFC’s Youth Panel. The week underscores the BBFC’s mission to […]
Media regulator Ofcom has awarded small-scale DAB multiplex licences for seven more areas in the UK. So far, 75 multiplexes have launched broadcasting to listeners across all four nations of the UK. In total, the small-scale DAB programme will enable the launch of over 100 multiplexes. Following a competitive process, where each applicant was judged […]
September 30th is the deadline for the world’s biggest social media platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, Roblox, TikTok and YouTube – to prove to Ofcom they are walking the walk on children’s online safety. As part of the UK media regulator’s rollout of the Online Safety Act, the platforms most popular with kids will need […]