LONDON — ATVOD, the U.K.'s video-on-demand regulator, is seeking responses from the public on a proposal to adopt revised regulatory guidelines to determine whether a service falls under its jurisdiction.
Since April 2010, ATVOD has published guidelines as to certain factors and criteria that are applied when determining whether a service falls within the definition of a VOD service.
In the U.K., operators must notify ATVOD when offering video-on-demand services and pay an annual fee for each station or website. ATVOD has the power to interpret criteria for those services; however, U.K. communications regulator Ofcom hands out fines and handles appeals
But three years after the agency launched, ATVOD is seeking more clarity in the rules over determining jurisdiction and is in the process of making amendments after holding five sets of working groups with various members of the entertainment business community.
"There are a huge variety of VOD services available in the current market, and ATVOD realizes that it is not always easy to determine whether or not a given service is an 'on-demand programming service' requiring notification," according to a draft aimed at the public for consultation.
ATVOD is seeking comment over whether the public supports adoption of the proposals and whether the proposals would have any impact in relation to matters of fairness.
The regulator began asking for comments today through Dec. 17. Responses will be posted on the ATVOD website.
ATVOD CEO Pete Johnson will discuss new rules and enforcement targeting adult entertainment companies at XBIZ EU. The Q&A session, slated for Monday, Sept. 23, at 1 p.m., is the kickoff seminar at XBIZ EU.