Ofcom facts for kids
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Ofcom's offices at Riverside House in London.
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| Abbreviation | Ofcom |
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| Formation | 29 December 2003 |
| Type | Statutory corporation |
| Legal status | Created by Office of Communications Act 2002 |
| Purpose | Regulator and competition authority for broadcasting, internet, postal services, telecommunications and radiocommunications spectrum |
| Headquarters | London, England |
| Location | |
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Region served
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United Kingdom |
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Official language
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English, Welsh |
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Chairman
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Michael Grade |
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Chief Executive
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Melanie Dawes |
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Main organ
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Board of Directors |
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Staff (2025)
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1,557 (full-time equivalents) |
The Office of Communications, better known as Ofcom, is the official government-approved organisation that regulates broadcasting, the internet, telecommunications, and postal services in the United Kingdom.
Think of Ofcom as a referee for the media world. It has a duty to look after the interests of people and customers. It does this by making sure companies compete fairly and by protecting the public from harmful or offensive material.
Ofcom's main jobs include setting standards for TV and radio shows, making sure broadband and phone services are fair, and managing the UK's postal service.
| Office of Communications Act 2002 | |
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| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act to establish a body corporate to be known as the Office of Communications; and to confer functions in relation to proposals about the regulation of communications on that body, on certain existing regulators and on the Secretary of State. |
| Citation | 2002 c. 11 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 19 March 2002 |
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Status: Amended
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Text of the Office of Communications Act 2002 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk | |
Ofcom was created by the Office of Communications Act 2002 and given its full powers by the Communications Act 2003.
Contents
How Ofcom Started
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The plan to create Ofcom was announced by the Queen in 2001. At the time, different types of media like TV, radio, and the internet were starting to come together. The government decided it would be better to have one "super-regulator" instead of many smaller ones.
Ofcom officially launched on 29 December 2003. It took over the jobs of five older regulators:
- The Broadcasting Standards Commission
- The Independent Television Commission
- The Office of Telecommunications (Oftel)
- The Radio Authority
- The Radiocommunications Agency
Over the years, Ofcom's role has grown. In 2011, it also became the regulator for postal services, taking over from the Postal Services Commission (Postcomm). In 2016, it began regulating video on demand services, like catch-up TV.
The Digital Economy Act 2017 gave Ofcom even more powers. This included making sure internet providers deliver minimum broadband speeds and that TV channels show enough children's programmes made in the UK.
What Ofcom Does
Television and Radio
Ofcom gives licenses to all commercial TV and radio stations in the UK. To keep their license, broadcasters must follow a set of rules called the Broadcasting Code.
One important rule is the "watershed," which means that content not suitable for children can only be shown between 9:00 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Ofcom can fine or even shut down channels that break these rules.
Phones and Broadband
Ofcom sets the rules for all phone and broadband companies. It makes sure that companies treat customers fairly, handle complaints properly, and provide clear information about prices.
In 2015, Ofcom made a big change to phone charges. It made sure that 0800 and 0808 "freephone" numbers became completely free to call from mobile phones, not just landlines. It also forced companies to be clearer about the cost of calling other special numbers.
Ofcom also acts as a competition authority. For example, it required the company BT to create a separate division, called Openreach, to manage the UK's phone and broadband network. This allows other companies like Sky and TalkTalk to use the network and compete fairly with BT.
Wireless Signals
Ofcom manages the UK's electromagnetic spectrum. This spectrum is like a set of invisible radio waves used for all kinds of wireless signals, including:
- TV and radio broadcasts
- Mobile phone calls and data
- Wi-Fi
- Emergency service radios
Ofcom licenses parts of the spectrum to different companies and organisations. It also investigates any problems, like interference or illegal broadcasts (such as pirate radio stations), to keep the airwaves clear.
Postal Services
Since 2011, Ofcom has been in charge of regulating the post. Its main duty is to make sure that Royal Mail continues to provide a "universal service." This means it must deliver letters six days a week (Monday to Saturday) and parcels five days a week to any address in the UK for a standard price.
Leadership
As of 2025, the chairman of Ofcom is Michael Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth. The Chief Executive, who manages the day-to-day work, is Melanie Dawes.
The first chairman of Ofcom was David Currie, Baron Currie of Marylebone, and the first chief executive was Stephen Carter, Baron Carter of Barnes.
Images for kids
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David Currie, Baron Currie of Marylebone, the first chairman of Ofcom.
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Colette Bowe, who was the chair of Ofcom from 2009 to 2014.
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Patricia Hodgson, who was the chair of Ofcom from 2014 to 2017.
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Terence Burns, Baron Burns, who was the chair of Ofcom from 2018 to 2020.
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Maggie Carver, who was the acting chair of Ofcom from 2021 to 2022.
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Michael Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth, the current chair of Ofcom.
See also
- Advertising Standards Authority
- Press Complaints Commission
- List of telecommunications regulatory bodies
