Release Date: 13th October 2004
Release Time: Immediate

Contact Details:
Chris R. Tame, 07957 644 519, chris@libertarian.co.uk
Sean Gabb, 07956 472 199, sean@libertarian.co.uk

For other contact and link details, see the foot of this message
Release url: http://www.libertarian.co.uk/news/nr027.htm

"ABOLISH OFCOM AND ITS BROADCASTING CODE", SAYS FREE MARKET AND CIVIL LIBERTIES THINK TANK

OFCOM (The Office of Communications), the regulatory body for broadcasting in the UK, should be abolished, together with its proposed new Code for Broadcasting, says the Libertarian Alliance, the radical free market and civil liberties think tank and pressure group, in evidence presented to OFCOM during its public consultancy on the future Broadcasting Code

Libertarian Alliance Director, Dr. Chris Tame commented:

"Just as there is no OFPUB (Office of Publications), regulating the publication and contents of books, so there should be no OFCOM (Office of Communications). All broadcasting should be free of any form of regulation or control and censorship by the State.
 

"In its Consultation Document OFCOM states that 'freedom of expression is an essential human right', but then proceeds to outline and defend a draconian system of 'necessary ... regulation', alleged 'protection of children', the imposition of alleged 'balance' and of 'generally accepted standards' on various sexual and moral issues, and the protection of people and various groups and religions from alleged 'harm' and 'offence', amongst many other forms of censorship and interference.
 

"This is an Orwellian charade. There is either free speech, or there is not. The sickly mixture of PC platitudes and the touchy-feely language of 'protection' in OFCOM's report is different from the more brutal advocacy of censorship by Nazis, Communists, old school Socialists and Colonel Blimp Conservatives - but the result is the same. There is no such thing as 'regulated free speech'. OFCOM simply defends and systematises an intolerable and illiberal censorship in its new Broadcasting Code."

The Libertarian Alliance thus urges the abandonment of the proposed Code and the immediate closure of OFCOM. In their place a totally unregulated, that is, a really free market in broadcasting should be allowed to come into existence.

END OF COPY

Note(s) to Editors

(1) The text of the Libertarian Alliance's Submission to OFCOM is available on-line at: http://www.libertarian.co.uk/submission/submit001.htm

(2) The authors of the Libertarian Alliance's Submission are Dr. Chris R. Tame and Dr. Sean Gabb.

Dr. Chris R. Tame is the founder and Director of the Libertarian Alliance. A prolific writer and lecturer on many topics in sociology, economics, philosophy and the history of ideas, he is author of The Bibliography of Freedom; The Euro-Sceptical Directory; and the forthcoming Freedom, Healthcare and Welfare Policy.

Dr. Sean Gabb is the Director of Communications of the Libertarian Alliance and edits both its journal Free Life and its ezine Free Life Commentary. A university lecturer in law and sociology he is the author of such books as Dispatches from a Dying Country: Reflections on Modern England; Cultural Renewal, Cultural War: The Real Battle for Britain; and War and the National Interest: Arguments for a British Foreign Policy.

Dr. Tame can be contacted for further comment at 07957 644519(mobile) or by email: director@libertarian.co.uk 

Dr. Gabb can be contacted for further comment at 07956 472199(mobile) or by email: sean@libertarian.co.uk

Extended Contact Details:

The Libertarian Alliance is Britain’s most radical free market and civil liberties policy institute. It has published over 700 articles, pamphlets and books in support of freedom and against statism in all its forms. These are freely available at http://www.libertarian.co.uk

Our postal address is

The Libertarian Alliance
Suite 35
2 Lansdowne Row
Mayfair
London
W1J 6HL
Tel: 07956 472 199

Associated Organisations

The Libertarian International - http://www.libertarian.to - is a sister organisation to the Libertarian Alliance. Its mission is to coordinate various initiatives in the defence of individual liberty throughout the world.

Sean Gabb's personal website - http://www.seangabb.co.uk - contains about a million words of writings on themes interesting to libertarians and conservatives.

Hampden Press - http://www.hampdenpress.co.uk.- the publishing house of the Libertarian Alliance.

Liberalia - http://www.liberalia.com - maintained by by LA Executive member Christian Michel, Liberalia publishes in-depth papers in French and English on libertarianism and free enterprise. It is a prime source of documentation on these issues for students and scholars.

Libertarian Samizdata - http://www.samizdata.net - a topical blog set up by LA Executive member Perry de Havilland..