Consumer-orientated regulation is designed to encourage media plurality and to ensure that a diversity of broadcasters operate within the media landscape. It is a regulatory system in which choices regarding content are largely devolved to audiences and where media makers are given as much freedom as possible to make the media that audiences want to consume.

Citizen based regulatory systems outline a civic role for the media and encourage media makers to produce content that contributes to the social and cultural health of the societies in which they operate.

What impact did the 2003 Communications Act have on media regulation?

The 2003 Communications Act was designed by the British Labour government in order to create modern Regulatory System’s within the UK and help the television industry become competitive with the globalized media landscape. This means that independent television production companies were freed up in order to create content that was more commercially viable, resulting in a more Consumer based regulatory system.

What is the drawback of a self-regulated system?

If Media companies do their own self-regulation than it may be easy for them to act within their own interests which is not always within the public’s interest.