Digital, Interactive and Web TV

Controversy

[2001] [2000] [1999] [1998]

With such high stakes it is not surprising that the last 3 years has been plagued with arguments, counter arguments, disputes and even legal suites:

2001

July 2001: European Commission investigates BSkyB for suspected anti-competitive behaviour.
June 2001: Year 2003 likely to be a battle ground for Media and the Euro with Murdoch a key figure.
June 2001: BT slow to open exchanges to broadband rivals. Critics call for local loop unbundling.
June 2001: 'Eyebrows raised' as deputy chair of Competition Commission is appointed to Telewest board.
June 2001: Head of ITV calls for level playing field for promotion of digital TV.
June 2001: Carlton's chief executive rebukes Granada's Chairman for scaremongering.
June 2001: TV horseracing rights still not settled after a year (continues Jully 2000 item)
April 2001: US Regulators relax media ownership rules and to review cross media ownership rules.
April 2001: Former Channel 5 boss attacks Channel 4's excesses and then retracts.
April 2001: Dyke again courts controversy over share holdings.
March 2001: Will all consumers switch to digital by 2010?
February 2001: BBC to show advertising on new BBCNews.com
January 2001: Broadband internet may usurp sport television broadcasting.
January 2001: Is ITV subsidising ITN? BSkyB bids to replace ITN.
January 2001: Bertelsmann hits same EC problems as EMI

2000

December 2000: Government clears the way for single ITV company.
October 2000: BBC slips over intellectual property rights for linked web sites.
October 2000: Time Warner - EMI merger disallowed but Time Warner - AOL merger can go ahead.
August 2000: BBC TV shake-up. BBC arts programmes to move to digital channel.
July 2000: Disagreement over TV horse racing broadcasting rights
July 2000: Advertisers unhappy when Government relaxes ITV ownership rules (continues Dec. 99 item).
July 2000: BBC announces job cuts of 1,100.
June 2000: Premier League Football clubs divided over share-out of £2bn television rights.
June 2000: Selection rules for Premier League Football viewing rights announced as bidding closes.
May 2000: Dyke suggests BBC could be privatised!
April 2000: Government puts pressure on TV companies to pay sports levy. BBC concerned.
April 2000: Society of British Advertisers urges Government to consider advertising on BBC
April 2000: Footballer George Best takes out injunction against BSkyB over film release
April 2000: BSkyB urges Government to auction digital terrestrial frequencies rather than give them to ONdigital.
March 2000: Government concerned at end of ITV's News at Ten. BBC seizes the opportunity.
March 2000: Talksport asks OFT to investigate BBC Test Match Cricket rights
March 2000: Opening round of bidding for Premier League Football viewing rights
January 2000: OFT to review BSkyB's pricing - BSkyB counter charges
January 2000: BBC's new director general forced to sell media shares
January 2000: CBS News accused of digital manipulation
January 2000: Two massive world mergers to be investigated by US & European authorities

1999

December 1999: OFT under pressure to review United - Carlton merger.
November 1999: Byers refers recent mergers and is accused of favouring Murdoch.
September 1999: Confused football fans complain.
September 1999: Government defines terms for analogue switch-off - consumer groups concerned.
1999: High Definition TV and digital? Differing views in US and Europe.
May 1999 - March 2000: BBC proposes a £24 Digital Licence Fee but only gets £3
April 1999: BSkyB's bid for Manchester United football team and stadium is rejected.

1998/1997

October 1998: BSkyB's £624m bid for Manchester United, as well as its £670m purchase of the live TV rights to the 20 Premier League Clubs, are referred to the MMC.
August 98: Peter Rogers, the chief of the Independent Television Commission (ITC) warns digital service providers not to confuse consumers in their advertising.
August 98: Flextech and Sci-Fi Channel Europe file a judicial review against the ITC.
1998: BBC launches free News 24 channel via analogue cable and some cable companies drop Sky News.
Autumn 1997: Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) proposes a single regulatory body called Ofcom.

External Resources

Note 1: This sub-section was originally part of the Player section, where many references are to be found.
Note 2: These references are for all the Controversy items up to 29 July 2000.

Boggan, Steve & Cope, Nigel, 2000, Television's billion-pound players create a league of their own where BBC can no longer complete, The Independent, 15 June 2000.
Digital News, Number 11, November 1999, Digital Television Group.
Dresser, Guy, 2000, BBC battling on hi-tech road, Sunday Business, 9 July 2000.
Gledhill, Dan & McIntosh, Bill, 2000, Premier League clubs divided over share-out of £2bn television rights, The Independent, 8 June 2000.
Larsen, Peter Thal, 1999, Call to probe media merger, Financial Times, 13 December 1999.
McIntosh, Bill, 1999, Byers accused of favouring Murdoch in Vivendi referral, The Independent, 13 November 1999.
McIntosh, Bill, 2000, ITC considers relaxing rules as it signals qualified approval for Granada to launch ITV takeovers , The Independent, 13 May 2000.
Robins, Jane & Lister, David, 2000, BBC hits back with TV rights victory in FA Cup, The Independent, 16 June 2000.
Schaefer, Darah, 2000, BBC told to spell out where the £1bn cuts will be made, The Independent, 29 March 2000.
See the full list of resources for this web site for other related resources.

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