Media companies launch campaign against new EU directive

Some of the biggest names in British media have started a campaign against a new draft European Directive aimed at regulating television services across the Union. The group fears the proposed Audiovisual Media Services (AMS) Directive and brands the new proposals as 'Unworkable, unclear and unnecessary regulation (which will) divert investment away from the EU'. The AMS Directive is designed to replace the Television without Frontiers (TVwF) directive that was established in the 1980s. ...more

Nokia unveils raft of new handsets

Nokia has taken the wraps off three new 'mid-range' mobile phones. The 6230i camera phone, 6021 and 6030. The 6230i adds a 1. ...more

UK authorities file 439,000 surveillance requests

UK law enforcement and security agencies filed 439,000 requests for details of phone calls and Internet activity in the 15 months to 31 March 2006, the latest report from the Communications Commissioner has revealed. Of those requests 2,243 were for warrants permitting the interception of communications. Such warrants require the approval of a Government minister and under the terms of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) grant powers that could result in the bugging of an entire premises. ...more

Ofcom is go... next year... perhaps

The Government has passed a bill to combine five regulators of the media and communications industry to form OFCOM (the Office of Communications). Oftel, the Independent television Commission, the Radio Authority, the Broadcasting Standards Commission and the Radio-communications Agency will combine to form OFCOM, which could begin regulating in 2003. The exact timing of this will depend on the Bill itself being passed, which in turn depends on there being time available to get it passed in next year's parliamentary session. ...more

Apple iPod rings the cash registers

Despite being more expensive than the majority of its competitors, the Apple iPod portable music player was the most popular MP3 player sold in the US in terms of dollar sales for the fourth quarter of 2002. Apple's dollar market share reached 27 per cent compared with 10 per cent for second-ranked SONICBlue and its Rio players during the period, according to market research firm NPDTechworld. By units sold, Apple placed third with an 11. ...more