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Sky exec calls for broadcast regulation overhaul

"Commercial public service broadcasters do seem a bit of an anachronism"

A Sky executive has called for an overhaul of broadcast regulation to suit the age of streaming, City A.M. has reported.

David Wheeldon, Sky’s group director of policy and public affairs, argued that Ofcom’s approach was “not particularly radical” and suggested a new framework that would allow companies such as Sky to play a public service role.

“We should be harnessing competition and moving towards a regime that is open to contributions to public value from everyone,” Wheeldon said.

Wheeldon also criticised the business model of commercial public service broadcasters such as ITV: “In this day and age, when we’re all producing this wide variety of content with public value, commercial public service broadcasters do seem a bit of an anachronism.”

BBC director of policy Clare Sumner echoed calls for reform of a regulatory system currently “stuck in the past,” calling for greater speed and flexibility to enable the BBC to keep up with competition.