Westminster Media Forum meetings

Keynote Seminar on content issues with Richard Hooper, Chairman Designate of the Ofcom Content Board.

30th April 2003

Seminar on Media Ownership and Public Service Broadcasting with Tessa Jowell.

20th May 2003

Seminar on the Realities of DTT and Broadband Provision with Stephen Timms.

The Keynote Seminar will be from 3pm to 6.30pm on 10th April 2003 at One Great George Street, Westminster. The seminar is made possible through generous sponsorship from the Commercial Radio Companies Association, ITV and the Performers\' Alliance. It will constitute an element of the consultation process that Ofcom is undertaking in the run up to assuming full responsibility for the regulatory matters in its remit later this year. A central theme will be principles for content regulation in the 21st century, but it will be open to panellists and delegates to introduce topics and elements that they think are important for Ofcom to consider. Speakers include: Emily Bell, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Unlimited, David Bergg, Director Of Programme Strategy, ITV, Ralph Bernard, Executive Chairman, GWR, Mark Browning, Deputy Programme Director, Heart 106.2, Tim Gardam, Director of Programmes, Channel 4 (to be confirmed), Jocelyn Hay, Chairman, Voice of the Listener and Viewer, David Liddiment, Kevin Lygo, Director of Programmes, Five, Ian McGarry, General Secretary, Equity, Geoff Metzger, Managing Director, The History Channel and Heather Rabbatts, 4Learning, Channel 4 (to be confirmed) Senior Ofcom staff will be present, principally in listening mode. However Richard Hooper has kindly agreed briefly to address the seminar and to respond to questions and comments from delegates. The seminar will be chaired by Lord David Lipsey. Please note that in order to widen delegate participation we are inviting you to submit your questions and comments in writing in advance, in addition to as normal taking questions Œlive¹ from the floor during sessions. Written questions will be given to the Chairman to use as he sees fit during the sessions. Please let me have any submissions by email. We do hope you can join us on the 10th to take part in what promises to be a particularly absorbing and influential session. To reserve your place please reply to this email with the name, position, a contact telephone number and the company name and address for invoicing. This will be taken as a firm order, and no refunds will be offered for cancellations less than two weeks before the event. Please note that places are quite limited and tickets will be issued on a first come first basis. The charge for tickets is £75+VAT. I have also included forward notice of upcoming Westminster Media Forum events. If you or colleagues would like to be involved in our forward programme as speakers, sponsors or with suggestions ­ or wish to find out more - please do just get in touch. Peter van Gelder Director, Westminster Media Forum 9 Old Queen Street London SW1H 9JA Direct line: 01344-621794 Direct fax: 01344-873987 www.westminstermediaforum.co.uk The Westminster Media Forum receives core sponsorship from The British Broadcasting Corporation, British Sky Broadcasting, ISBA - the Voice of British Advertisers, Novapal, Pace Micro Technology, and the Satellite and Cable Broadcasters\' Group. The parliamentary Patrons of the Westminster Media Forum are: Lord Alli, Baroness Anelay of St Johns, Viscount Astor, Tony Banks MP, Anne Begg MP, Lord Bernstein, Lord Birt, Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley MP, Lord Bragg, Chris Bryant MP, Baroness Buscombe, David Cameron MP, Rt Hon Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde, Michael Fabricant MP, Paul Farrelly MP, Adrian Flook MP, Roger Gale MP, Lord Gordon of Strathblane, John Greenway MP, John Grogan MP, Nick Harvey MP, Lord Hollick, Lord Hussey of North Bradley, Lord Inglewood, Alan Keen MP, Andy King MP, Lord Lipsey, Fiona Mactaggart MP, Lord McNally, David Miliband MP, Andrew Miller MP, Austin Mitchell MP, Baroness O¹Cathain, Lembit Opik MP, James Purnell MP, Lord Puttnam, Baroness Rawlings, Andrew Selous MP, Rt Hon Chris Smith MP, Ian Taylor MBE MP, Lord Taylor of Warwick, Viscount Tenby, Rt Hon Lord Wakeham, Brian White MP, John Whittingdale OBE MP, Sir Nicholas Winterton MP, Phil Woolas MP and Derek Wyatt MP. About our charges: WMF strives to be inclusive, but our activities would not be possible without the income we receive from ticket sales, as well as the generosity of our sponsors. However representatives of charitable organisations or those in a similar position who find the ticket price a real barrier to participating in the Seminar are advised to contact Peter van Gelder on 01344-621794 or pvg@westminstermediaforum.co.uk FUTURE MEETINGS with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP Venue: One Whitehall Place (TBC) Timings: 9am ­ 12 noon With an address from the Secretary of State, and an agenda that is both timely and forward-looking, this is a major WMF event. Timed to coincide with the key Lords debates on the Bill this seminar will look at one of the main issues remaining to be resolved to the satisfaction of many parliamentarians: cross-media ownership and the position of Channel 5 ­ and by extension, perhaps, the position of ITN and of ITV. Also, with Public Service Broadcasting for the first time defined in the Bill (Clause 256) we will be taking a fundamental look at its meaning and relevance, and at what PSB should look like in the 21st century. 20 May 2003 Seminar on the Realities of DTT and Broadband Provision with the Minister of State for eCommerce and Competitiveness, DTI, Stephen Timms MP Venue: One Great George Street Timing: Morning Including sessions on the timetable for analogue switch-off
Venue & timing TBA At the point where the Bill is expected to have completed its parliamentary stages the aim of the seminar is to enable delegates to suggest priorities for Ofcom as it moves towards and into its operational phase.