OFCOM and the PSP
Background
The Public Service Publisher (PSP) was proposed by OFCOM in 2005 as a possible response to the growth of new media in the marketplace. If launched, The PSP would be a public service institution, whether free standing or part of an existing organisation, which would intervene to support public service content and services in the digital media world.
This website contains the output of the PSP creative forum, chaired by Andrew Chitty and Anthony Lilley, who were commissioned by OFCOM to explore what a public service digital media organisation could do and make. The website discusses both existing socially valuable content online and puts forward a number of speculative possibilities in this area that would be possible in the near future and - in the author's opinion - would be socially beneficial. These illustrations and argument are intended to stimulate debate and widen discussion about the issue of the PSP and the entire question of intervention in digital media. They are not intended to be taken as prescriptive. They also do not represent OFCOM policy proposals. Much of the content on this website has been developed independently of OFCOM and represents only the private views of the individuals concerned.
In addition to supporting the work contained here, OFCOM has published (24th January 2007) a discussion document: New browser window:A New Approach to Public Service Content in the Digital Media Age which examines the impact of the growing digital media market on the existing system of public service broadcasting. That document lays out OFCOM's analysis of the changes in the market and the impact of those changes on the rationale for intervention for social benefit in the market. Some elements of this website are also included in order to give a flavour of the Creative Forum output.