Recommendation 31

Ofcom’s senior leadership argued that its approach to impartiality had been very clear. We struggled to reconcile this with the evidence. Ofcom’s approach has sparked accusations of a two-tier system on the one hand, and of overreaction on the other. This risks dissatisfaction on all sides. We were reassured that Ofcom is aware of the challenges and the need to avoid the impression that political sensitivities have influenced regulatory enforcement. But more transparency in future would help, particularly around the thresholds at which alternative interpretations of the rules might apply. Ofcom must also remain alive to the risk that underserved audiences may migrate online or switch off altogether: healthy plurality in broadcasting therefore remains key to the sector’s long-term viability.