UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Culture

  • Ed Vaizey – 2014 Speech to Digital TV Group Summit

    Ed Vaizey – 2014 Speech to Digital TV Group Summit

    The speech made by Ed Vaizey, the then Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 20 May 2014.

    Good morning everyone. It’s great to be back at the DTG Summit and it’s great to start the day with so many familiar and friendly faces.

    As you may have seen on the way in, this lovely modern building isn’t just a conference centre. It’s also home to one of Steve’s many employers, the Guardian. It’s a newspaper that, in recent years, hasn’t been shy about embracing new technology. But that’s not always been the case.

    Back in 1928 its editor, the legendary CP Scott, was somewhat dismissive of a piece of an invention being demonstrated by a Scotsman named John Logie Baird. “Television?” he said. “The word is half Greek and half Latin. No good will come of it.”

    Eighty-six years later I think we can all agree that he somewhat underestimated the medium’s potential.

    That’s not a mistake anyone in this room could ever be accused of making. For nearly two decades the Digital Television Group has been central to the distribution of TV in the UK, maintaining the technical specification for Freeview and supporting the development of YouView, Freesat, Sky, Virgin Media and many others.

    The FITT

    And of course there’s the Future of Innovation in Television Technology Taskforce. I had the pleasure of launching FITT in September 2012, and this morning I have the honour of presenting its much-anticipated findings. But before I do, it’s worth rewinding 18 months and reminding ourselves why the taskforce was needed.

    The Digital Switchover was about to be completed, and traditional distinctions between linear television and the internet were being eroded. And this wasn’t just something that affected early adopters. Everyone with a digital TV and a broadband connection was in on it.

    With the pace of change accelerating, the time was right to think about not only what the future of television would look like, but what we could do, collectively, to shape it.

    The biggest question we asked of the taskforce was to determine what specific measures are needed to ensure the UK retains its world-leading role in television technology.

    I can’t overstate how important this is. The UK’s creative industries are worth more than £70 billion to our national economy, and television is a key part of that. As well as its direct benefits, a thriving television industry also supports other vital sectors – music, film, advertising – in a way no other sub-sector does.

    If the UK is going to maintain its leadership in this field, we have to be properly prepared for the new technologies and new challenges that are coming thick and fast.

    For example, there’s the forthcoming international discussions and decisions on future television use of 700MHz spectrum. Our primary objectives here are:

    firstly, to make sure that the core structure of the DTT platform are maintained as part of any transition and that interference issues are fully mitigated

    secondly, to enable spectrum cleared through this process to be available to Mobile Operators when they need it in line with releases across Europe and in other international markets.

    Broadcasters will – quite rightly – expect assurances on a range of issues. Many of these will be dependent on the work we are doing with Ofcom and which will inform future decisions.

    The next stage of that work is Ofcom’s consultation on 700 MHz clearance, which is due before the summer. I’m sure you’ll all take the opportunity to tell them exactly what you think!

    But I also hope that broadcasters will view this as an opportunity for bold thinking. I would encourage them accelerate thinking on the feasibility of a longer-term move to the new DVB-T2 transmission with MPEG4 or even make the jump to the new HEVC compression standard.

    Although a migration to DVB T2 would be outside the scope of a future 700MHz clearance – a coordinated transition would – in my view – greatly enhance the longevity of the platform and combine spectrum efficiency with benefits for consumers in terms of the enhancement of universal services and maintaining platform choice.

    The Report’s Findings

    All this means that the FITT report has been produced in a climate of intense change, a period in which the old certainties are up in the air. But the report shows that the most important factor in the equation remains unshaken – people still like watching TV!

    While the technology behind the screen is constantly shifting, the core experience of watching it isn’t. Viewers still want to share stories and experiences that play to their sense of identity, as an individual, as a family, as a nation. Often as a combination of all three. This is unlikely to change.

    Likewise, there is still demand to consume content that is culturally relevant as well as compelling. But what’s interesting is that our definition of what is relevant to us as individuals has grown as a result of being exposed to more and more choice.

    Who would have thought, for example, that there would be such a large market for Scandinavian noir? That millions would be gripped by a tent full of amateur bakers? Or that Channel 4, with Gogglebox, could get people watching a TV programme about people watching a TV programme – and win a BAFTA for it!

    This exchange of content and ideas runs both ways internationally. Britain may be nation of Borgen fans, but from Dr Who to Downton Abbey, UK television exports are booming. UK actors and production people are in high demand. And our production companies, including our independent producers, have taken full advantage of this global profile. Recent examples include the Anglo-Sino Film Co-Production Agreement and the memorandum signed between Pact and the Chinese State Broadcaster, CCTV.

    UK content is easy to find, consume and share, both at home and around the world. Maintaining this must remain a commercial imperative.

    This increased connectivity doesn’t just affect producers. As the report shows, the majority of viewers are now creating and becoming part of a much larger phenomenon – that of ‘Big Data’. The creation and collection of detailed information on viewing habits has helped to change the way consumers are studied. We’re moving away from simple demographics, cohorts and ages and closer to a household and individual level. This brings with it great opportunities to exploit, but also many risks to consider and fears to address.

    Focussing on the positives, the FITT report puts forward the interesting theory that a combination of big data, a mature consumer electronics market attuned to consumer needs, and consumer appetite for new applications and services will drive real convergence.

    This is because there is a clear reason for the various parts of the value chain to cooperate at the level of the consumer. The report suggests the upside here is a massive opportunity for innovation in the UK – for example through better integration between broadcasters and social networks. The downside, of course, is that others have also spotted the opportunity and UK companies will need to be agile to take full advantage!

    Finally, the FITT report predicts that the TV screen itself will change, completing its transition from a means of delivering content to an essential tool for displaying and engaging through services and applications. Advances in terms of picture and sound quality will also continue to come through.

    And there will be increased connectivity via TV sets, with more viewers taking advantage of broadband infrastructure able to carry all the audio visual content viewers could want. The main screen will be at the centre of the domestic data universe, orbited by smartphones, tablets and a range of faster devices.

    What is surprising – on first glance – is the prediction that the evolution of these devices will result in an increase in linear viewing.

    Research last year found that if all households had the ability to record TV programmes, they would expect the level of playback to settle at around 15 to 20 per cent, with most of the emerging demand for on-demand content coming at the expense of recorded programming.

    But the FITT report goes further. It suggests that the continued growth in tablets and smartphone sales will continue to enhance the “must-watch experience”, with what’s happening on television driving what is important and relevant to social media. Don’t agree? Just look at Twitter’s trending topics during Britain’s Got Talent and Strictly – or try to scroll through your Facebook timeline right now without seeing any spoilers from last night’s Game of Thrones!

    The result is a predicted increase in linear viewing despite the in-roads made by providers such as Netflix and Amazon.

    It may initially seem counterintuitive, but in my experience that usually means there must be something worth thinking about!

    FITT Report Recommendations

    The FITT report contains a lot of insights into the future of television, a lot of ideas about how things are going to look in future. But most importantly, it also makes a number of key recommendations, recommendations aimed at ensuring the UK stays at the pinnacle of the TV world for many years to come.

    It promotes a new initiative – the Next Generation of TV Planning Programme – to develop an evolving plan that will look at longer-term solutions encompassing all relevant technologies, and taking account of 700MHz clearance.

    It makes important recommendations on how further detailed work and collaboration can open the way to using big data – similar to the £42 million Government investment in the Alan Turing Institute.

    It calls on the industry to collaborate on cross-platform promotion of UK-developed apps.

    It makes interesting suggestions about the talent and skills we need to develop in order to maintain our position in the world.

    And it also has some requests of the government. The report calls for greater certainty for the TV sector in terms of platform competition, spectrum availability and the continued accessibility of free-to-air public service content.

    And it makes a case for government incentives that will allow the development of a “UK Creative Cloud”, a shared resource that will meet the current and future computing demands facing our sector.

    On behalf of the Government, I can tell you that we will certainly be taking careful note of these recommendations, and will work very closely with the proposed Next Generation of TV Planning Programme.

    Next Steps

    The FITT has produced a great report, one packed with insights and ideas. But I don’t want you to think that its publication of marks the end of the process. It’s only the latest stage. In TV terms, it’s the cliffhanger conclusion of the pilot episode, rather than the final scene in the farewell season.

    It’s vital that we keep this dialogue going. The success of our television sector shows what is possible when industries devise their own solutions to problems, and organisations like the DTG have a decisive role to play in making that happen.

    Mobile Video Alliance

    With this in mind, I’m delighted to be able to announce that the DTG is to launch the Mobile Video Alliance.

    Created in association with mobile network operator EE and the global interconnection and data centre company Equinix, the Mobile Video Alliance will bring together stakeholders from right along the mobile video value chain, helping them to discuss their requirements, identify challenges and share opportunities.

    It will advocate and develop a mobile video ecosystem to support the delivery of audio-visual content to mobile devices, something critical to the future both of broadcasting and of mobile networks.

    The idea and aim of the Mobile Video Alliance is simple. Develop and promote technologies that harmonise the delivery of video to mobile devices, providing a consistent, reliable and enjoyable user experience with better economy for everyone involved.

    Dynamic collaborations like this have a strong track record within the TV sector. I will follow the work of the Mobile Video Alliance very closely, and wish every involved all the best for the future.

    Conclusion

    Television has come a long way since CP Scott wrote it off all those years ago, but big issues and challenges remain. The very nature of constantly evolving technology means this will always be the case. Innovative, collaborative solutions will always be required.

    And that’s not something the Government can deliver on our own. It’s been said that any Government, in isolation, will nearly always make bad decisions, so it’s up to you to tell us what’s happening and what you need. It’s up to you to think big and think different, especially on the major strategic issues.

    This summit is an opportunity to do just that. So make the most of the opportunities it presents. Take the time to read through the FITT report, share your ideas and problems, and use today to foster the collaboration on which the UK’s television industry relies.

    Thanks again to everyone involved in the Future of Innovation in Television Task Force. Thanks to the DTG for inviting me along to speak today. And thanks to all of you for your continued dedication to the UK television industry.

    Have a great conference.

  • Ed Vaizey – 2014 Comments on UK Broadband Coverage

    Ed Vaizey – 2014 Comments on UK Broadband Coverage

    The comments made by Ed Vaizey, the then Culture Secretary, on 12 March 2014.

    As part of the Government’s long term economic plan, broadband in the UK is going through a remarkable transformation. The Government’s rollout of superfast broadband is accelerating – Britons already do more business online than any other European country, and the news that we now have the best superfast coverage of all five leading European economies is testament to the progress made to date.

  • Ed Vaizey – 2014 Comments on Lake District Being Nominated for World Heritage Status

    Ed Vaizey – 2014 Comments on Lake District Being Nominated for World Heritage Status

    The comments made by Ed Vaizey, the then Culture Secretary, on 9 January 2014.

    The UK’s heritage is world renowned and the Lake District, England’s largest National Park is one of our heritage jewels. The UNESCO nomination process can be very demanding and success is not guaranteed but I believe the Lake District deserves to be recognised and inscribed as a World Heritage Site and I wish all involved the very best.

  • Helen Grant – 2021 Speech on Football Regulation

    Helen Grant – 2021 Speech on Football Regulation

    The speech made by Helen Grant, the Conservative MP for Maidstone and the Weald, in the House of Commons on 26 January 2021.

    I beg to move,

    That leave be given to bring in a Bill to establish an independent football regulator in England; to make provision for that regulator to license football clubs, distribute funds within football, review English Football League club finances, and reform the governance of the Football Association; to require the regulator to take steps in connection with football supporters’ groups; and for connected purposes.

    The governance of English football is broken. Our national game—the beautiful game—is in crisis. These issues are not new but have been laid bare and amplified by the covid-19 pandemic, during which, sadly, football has failed to speak with one voice. We have seen much-loved clubs go to the wall. Sadly, many more may well follow, and at the heart of this is broken governance, gross financial disparities between the rich clubs and the poor clubs, and unsustainable business models. It is staggering that the wage bills of championship clubs are equal to 110% of their revenues—just one example of the downward spiral as lower league clubs seek the financial nirvana that premier league promotion dangles. Ultimately, it is the loyal football supporters and communities up and down the country who suffer the most.

    Football is different from any other sector of the economy. It is not just a business; this is our national sport. Our football clubs are societal assets at the beating hearts of towns and cities, making a huge contribution to the culture and identity of our nation. We in this place and the other place surely have a responsibility to protect them from maladministration, blinkered leadership and commercial suicide.

    Football’s failing governance has been clear for many years, but again and again, football has failed to reform itself. The conflicts that have dogged the game’s integrity and financial probity have become more obvious under the current pandemic. In recent weeks, the authorities have failed to show decisive leadership on whether matches should be paused due to rising covid infections. The Football Association chairman resigned after using offensive language, showing himself to be out of touch with the modern players, the modern game and, indeed, modern Britain. We have also witnessed the tragically slow progress on addressing the link between dementia and heading footballs. For me, this demonstrates a failure that is tantamount to negligence.

    Locally, too, working alongside Maidstone United in my constituency, I have witnessed the flawed distribution of emergency National Lottery funding to national league clubs. This botch, failing to account for lost gate receipts, has left many national league clubs in dire financial circumstances. These examples very sadly illustrate the fact that in England, no one is speaking for the football world with the independence and authority needed to address the big issues.

    The Football Association, allegedly the governing body of the game, is outdated and out of touch. Its own governance leaves much to be desired. Frankly, it is not up to the mammoth task of driving through the reforms that football so desperately needs. Other powerful stakeholders in the game are too invested and too self-interested to bring about the changes required. Even as I speak today, the Premier League is midway through a lengthy governance review of its own, but to me that feels like students marking their own homework. Does anyone seriously expect the Premier League to make the radical and fundamental changes that are needed across the wider professional and grassroots game? I think not.

    Now is the time for fundamental reform—reform that can only be achieved through the creation of an independent football regulator. That was the central recommendation of “Saving the Beautiful Game: Manifesto for Change”, a recent report co-authored by a group, of which I was part, made up of experienced individuals with a deep interest in football. Such a step would not be unique. In France, for example, lawmakers intervened to make governance of football fairer by implementing rules around club ownership and player contracts. In Spain, the lawmakers again intervened to ensure fairness in the sale of La Liga broadcasting rights, and in Germany professional clubs already operate under a tough licensing regime.

    A regulator appointed under this Bill would be absolutely independent. It would be funded from within football, not by public money, and it would not require Government to run the game. It would have the power and responsibility, among other things, to do the following: distribute funds in the interests of the wider game of football, introduce a comprehensive licensing system for professional football clubs, review thoroughly the causes of financial stress in the game, bring forward reforms to modernise and strengthen the FA, work with supporters’ groups to advance the causes that really matter to them, and drive and promote diversity and inclusion—areas where football, from the coaching field to the boardroom, continues to fall well below the standards enjoyed in so many areas of modern British society.

    Association football is the most popular sport in the entire world. It is played by over 250 million people in over 200 countries, and it was born in England 150 years ago. It is a huge part of community life across the length and breadth of our country, but if we want to protect and preserve that fabulous heritage for generations into the future, our football governance needs emergency surgery, and it needs that surgery now. Let us drive through the radical change required, create an independent football regulator and make governance of the beautiful game that we all know and love fit for the 21st century.

  • Pete Wishart – 2021 Speech on UK Musicians and EU Visas

    Pete Wishart – 2021 Speech on UK Musicians and EU Visas

    The speech made by Pete Wishart, the SNP MP for Perth and North Perthshire, in the House of Commons on 19 January 2021.

    That is an immensely disappointing response from the Minister. Touring Europe means everything to our artists and musicians: the thrill of that first tour, crammed into the Transit van with all your gear; four to a room in a cheap hotel in Paris, Rotterdam or Hamburg; using what is left of the fee for a post-gig beer; the dream of coming back on a lavish tour bus, staying at five-star hotels—gone, all gone. Musicians and artists are mere collateral in this Government’s obsession with ending freedom of movement.

    Does the Minister acknowledge that visas and carnets will render such tours beyond the financial reach of future generations of new musicians? Does she appreciate that is not just our new musicians but the whole creative sector that will have increased costs and red tape? What will she say to the crews, the technicians, the set designers, the transport? We were promised by her predecessor that arrangements would not change. What has happened to that commitment? The EU said it was prepared to offer a 90-day deal. Why was that turned down? The Government said they were holding out for a better deal, but we have ended up with nothing. How could that happen? Given that the Minister’s approach is totally contradicted by the EU, will she provide complete transparency in all these negotiations?

    Our constituents really care about this; 263,000 have now signed the petition organised by our artists, calling for this to get sorted. We do not want any more of the EU-blaming—we have had quite enough of that in the past few years; we just want the Government to fix this. The Secretary of State has said that the door is still open, so will she walk through and fix it out? Will she restart talks with the EU immediately, to get our artists the arrangements that they need? Will she let the music tour freely once again?

  • Caroline Dinenage – 2021 Statement on UK Musicians and EU Visas

    Caroline Dinenage – 2021 Statement on UK Musicians and EU Visas

    The statement made by Caroline Dinenage, the Minister for Digital and Culture, in the House of Commons on 19 January 2021.

    This Government recognise the importance of the UK’s world-leading cultural and creative industries. We recently demonstrated that commitment by providing an unprecedented £1.57 billion package of support to help them through the covid-19 pandemic. It is therefore entirely consistent that, during the negotiations with the EU, we pushed for ambitious arrangements allowing performers and artists to work across Europe.

    Our proposals, which were informed by our extensive consultation and engagement with the UK’s cultural and creative industries, would have allowed UK musicians and other cultural touring professionals to travel and perform in the UK and the EU more easily, without the need for work permits. Regrettably, those mutually beneficial proposals were rejected by the EU. As a result, UK cultural professionals seeking to tour in the EU will be required to check domestic immigration and visitor rules for each member state in which they intend to tour. Although some member states allow touring without a permit, others will require a pre-approved visa and/or a work permit.

    It is absolutely vital that we now support our touring sectors to understand the new rules associated with working and travelling in the EU. We are delivering an extensive programme of engagement with the sector to help them understand any new requirements. That includes working with Arts Council England and various other sector bodies, to help distil and clarify the new rules.

    As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has already made very clear, we will also look at whether we can work with our partners in EU member states to find ways to make life easier for those working in the creative industries in our respective countries. In the meantime, we will continue close dialogue with the creative and cultural sectors, to understand the ongoing impacts and ensure that that they have the right support at the right time to continue to thrive.

  • Robert Jenrick – 2021 Statement on Legal Protections for England’s Heritage

    Robert Jenrick – 2021 Statement on Legal Protections for England’s Heritage

    The statement made by Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on 15 January 2021.

    For hundreds of years, public statues and monuments have been erected across the country to celebrate individuals and great moments in British history.

    They reflected the people’s preferences at the time, not a single, official narrative or doctrine. They are hugely varied, some loved, some reviled, but all part of the weft and weave of our uniquely rich history and built environment.

    We cannot – and should not – now try to edit or censor our past. That’s why I am changing the law to protect historic monuments and ensure we don’t repeat the errors of previous generations, losing our inheritance of the past without proper care.

    What has stood for generations should be considered thoughtfully, not removed on a whim, any removal should require planning permission and local people should have the chance to be properly consulted. Our policy in law will be clear, that we believe in explaining and retaining heritage, not tearing it down.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2021 Article on Free Speech

    Oliver Dowden – 2021 Article on Free Speech

    The article written by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 18 January 2021.

    If the last decade has been defined by anything, it’s the power of social media. Its opening saw the hope of the Arab Spring, whilst its closing witnessed last week’s disgraceful scenes at the US Capitol.

    Both were the product of social media’s unprecedented ability to spread ideas and bring people together, for both good and bad. Put simply, we have a new printing press – but it’s an invention whose implications society and governments are just beginning to grapple with.

    With so many of us now consuming our news and information through social media, a small number of companies wield vast power in shaping how we see the world. To an outsider, it doesn’t always seem this power is wielded transparently or consistently.

    Iran’s Ayatollah has a Twitter account, whilst the elected President of the United States is permanently suspended from holding one. Trump’s supporters have labeled that move censorship; the other half of the country has asked what took so long.

    Norway’s Prime Minister has had posts defending freedom of expression deleted on Facebook because they contained the iconic “Napalm Girl” photo – an unintentional violation of the site’s child nudity policy – whilst in Myanmar, the same platform has been used to whip up hatred towards Rohingya Muslims.

    Those facts alone should make anyone who loves democracy pause for thought. The idea that free speech can be switched off with the click of a button in California is unsettling even for the people with their hands on the mouse.

    Just this week, Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey, said that while he felt that it was right for his platform to ban Trump, leaving platforms to take these decisions “fragments” the public conversation and sets a dangerous precedent.

    So as we enter a new era in our relationship with tech, who should decide its rules?

    We need to be able to define what social media is and isn’t. Given it is now so crucial a part of public discourse, should we compare it to a utility? Or should we see social media companies as publishers, akin to newspapers – and therefore liable for everything they publish?

    In reality, neither the passive “platform” nor the editorialised “publisher” truly hit the mark. Holding companies liable for every piece of content – for 500 hours a minute of uploads on YouTube alone – would break social media.

    But equally, when these companies are curating, editorialising, and in some cases removing users, they can no longer claim to be bystanders with no responsibility whatsoever.

    However we categorise social media, one thing is clear: as with other forms of mass communication, democratically elected governments must play a role in regulating it.

    In the UK, we are leading the world by starting to deal with this dilemma. I have been clear that we are entering a new age of accountability for tech.

    At the end of last year, we outlined plans for a groundbreaking new rulebook for social media companies: one that would make sites like Facebook and Twitter responsible for dealing with harmful content on their platforms, while also holding them answerable for their wider role and impact on democratic debate and free speech.

    We can no longer outsource difficult decisions. There’s now a burning need for democratic societies to find ways to impose consistency, transparency, fairness in the online sphere.

    And it needs to be flexible enough to adapt as social media evolves. There’s always another platform somewhere else on the horizon. No-one had ever used TikTok in the UK before 2018 but now 17 million of us do: almost double the total newspaper circulation in 2019.

    It also means navigating some complex philosophical disputes. How do you resolve the inherent tension, for example, between protecting people from dangerous misinformation in a global pandemic, whilst also protecting their right to express an opinion?

    There are no easy answers. But we are setting out the parameters.

    We need to do everything we can to protect our most vulnerable citizens, and particularly children, from harm. Our upcoming Online Safety Bill holds them as our number one priority.

    The second is the protection of free speech. As Lord Justice Sedley put it in 1999, that definition has to include “not only the inoffensive but the irritating, the contentious, the eccentric, the heretical, the unwelcome and the provocative.” Without the latter, we are making an empty promise.

    So, under our legislation, social media giants will have to enforce their terms and conditions consistently and transparently. This will prevent them from arbitrarily banning any user for expressing an offensive or controversial viewpoint.

    If users feel like they’ve been treated unfairly, they’ll be able to seek redress from the company. Right now, that process is slow, opaque and inconsistent.

    And it’s absolutely vital that internet regulations can’t be used as a tool to silence an opponent or muzzle the free media. So news publishers’ content on their own sites will be exempt.

    The decisions governments around the world take will shape democracies for decades to come. As the UK takes up the G7 Presidency this year, we want to work with our democratic allies to forge a coherent response.

    We are just taking the first steps in this process. But decisions affecting democracy should be made democratically – by governments accountable to parliament, not executives accountable to shareholders.

  • Rishi Sunak – 2020 Comments on Funding for Independent Cinemas

    Rishi Sunak – 2020 Comments on Funding for Independent Cinemas

    The comments made by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 20 December 2020.

    As a Star Wars fan, I know there’s no better place to experience great films than in your local cinema and these grants will provide vital support for independent venues through Christmas and beyond.

    Our Restart Scheme has already helped to get nearly 100 film and TV productions back up and running as part of our Plan for Jobs, and it’s right that we extend this to support even more jobs in the UK’s creative industries, including for the over 70s.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2020 Comments on Funding for Independent Cinemas

    Oliver Dowden – 2020 Comments on Funding for Independent Cinemas

    The comments made by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 20 December 2020.

    The magic of film is such an important part of the festive period and this investment will help protect our independent cinemas so they’re around for many Christmases to come. Alongside it, the extension of the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme means the UK will be producing even more great content as the cinema industry recovers, keeping us at the forefront of the creative industries.