Department for Culture Media and Sport
media regulation and standards
We aim to ensure fair competition, a variety of high quality broadcasting, a high level of consumer protection and freedom of expression.
We have created independent regulators to ensure that programme standards are maintained and that complaints are properly handled by broadcasters. The regulatory bodies are:
It is their job to make sure that programmes and advertisements do not offend generally accepted standards, as determined by research.
The regulators maintain codes of practice for programme makers. These set out the rules about the content and nature of programmes and advertisements, their timing, separating advertisements clearly from programmes, and commercial sponsorship.
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Further details are available in our leaflet Complaints About Television and Radio Programmes and Advertisements (PDF 224kb).
Industry and consumer groups
We work closely with the industry and consumer groups, as well as regularly consulting on key issues.
- The Press Complaints Commission deals with complaints from the public about the content of newspapers and magazines
- The Teenage Magazine Arbitration Panel is the magazine industry's self-regulatory body which ensures that the sexual content of teenage magazines is presented in a responsible and appropriate manner
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