Lords to question the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 on impact of the internet on UK

The House of Lords Communications Committee will question representatives from Public Service Broadcasters the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 on Tuesday 16 October for its inquiry into internet regulation.

Broadcasting is regulated by Ofcom while the majority online content is not subject to specific regulation. In this session the Committee will discuss the extent to which the principles of broadcasting regulation could usefully be transposed to the internet. 

The Committee has heard evidence that the internet has blurred the distinction between broadcasting and other forms of media content. The Committee will also ask the witnesses about the future role of public service broadcasting in a multi-platform, content on-demand environment, and how regulation could be changed to provide a level playing field between the broadcasters and other content providers. 

The evidence session will begin at 3.30pm in Committee Room 2 of the House of Lords. The Committee will hear from:

• Dan Brooke, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Channel 4
• Magnus Brooke, Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, ITV
• Clare Sumner CBE, Director, Policy, BBC

Topics likely to be covered in the session include:

• The strengths and weaknesses of the current regulatory framework of the internet
• Principles of best practice in content moderation, and the handling of complaints
• Initiatives to combat fake news
• Changes in the regulation of TV-like content.