DCMS Committee Report echoes PPA calls to empower Digital Markets Unit
The House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has cited the PPA’s arguments for the Digital Markets Unit (DMU) to receive statutory powers as soon as possible.
ASA issues updated advice on advertisement features
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has issued updated advice explaining how the publishers and advertisers they work with, can ensure that advertorials or similar content are obviously identifiable to consumers.
Parliamentary questions highlight the value of specialist publishing to the economy
Alexander Stafford MP has recently asked the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport about the value of the magazine publishing industry to the UK economy.
Minister and MPs acknowledge specialist media industry concerns in debate on Royal Mail USO
Leading parliamentarians debating the future of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) highlighted the threat to magazine subscription businesses if Saturday deliveries are removed.
Key report flags the impact of platforms and regulation in 2023
The Reuters Institute “Journalism, media and technology trends and predictions 2023” report states that the relationship between platforms, publishers, and regulators will be critical over the coming year.
UK regulators announce plans for the coming year
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Ofcom have set out their plans for 2023/24.
Ofcom has found US tech firms increasingly shape the news stories that people in the UK see and read
In a new study of choice in news, it has identified concerns around the impact of online news ‘gatekeepers' – particularly social media, such as Facebook, but also search engines and news apps such as Apple News and Google News.
Government commits to bringing forward Digital Markets Unit legislation, and Online Sales Tax abandoned
In the Autumn Budget, it has been announced that the government will bring forward the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill – the legislation that will empower the Digital Markets Unit (DMU) – to parliament in the current parliamentary session (i.e. before next summer). This is a significant victory as before now the Government had only promised to introduce a draft Bill with no timetable on when it would materialise.
PPA Briefing on the Autumn Statement
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt MP, opened proceedings by laying out the unprecedented economic headwinds, referencing the ongoing energy crisis, cost of living, and supply chain pressures caused by the war in Ukraine. He did note that he wanted to protect the vulnerable within his statement as “to be British is to be compassionate and this is a compassionate government”.
PPA calls on Government to prevent Royal Mail abandoning Saturday letter deliveries
Royal Mail’s plans, announced today in their H1 Financial Results, will restrict citizens’ access to timely information and hurt the sustainability of the print publishing sector.
Sir Bill Jeffrey to conduct external review of IPSO
This will be the second external review of the independence and effectiveness of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).
Online Safety Bill to return without ‘legal but harmful’ content protections
It has been reportedthat the long-delayed Online Safety Bill will return to Parliament later this month, but with the ‘legal but harmful’ content category removed from the Bill’s scope.
New Minister to lead on Online Harms and Digital Markets
Paul Scully MP has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Tech and the Digital Economy, overseeing online safety, digital markets regulation, and online advertising. He will also retain the role of Minister for London.
Labour Leader backs legislation to level the playing field between platforms and publishers
Sir Kier Starmer has voiced his support for Digital Markets Unit legislation in an op-ed for the Journalism Matters campaign.
Meta threatens to switch off news in response to Canadian law
Meta has stated it may be compelled to block news content in Canada in response to a new law that would force platforms to compensate publishers for the value that their content brings to tech giants.
Commons Committees call for Digital Markets Unit legislation to be published
The Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy Select Committee has published a reporton the proposed Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill.
