This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

The government's forthcoming communications green paper will suggest broadcasters could be rewarded with a higher slot on digital TV electronic programme guides if they commit to transmitting more public service programmes such as news and children's shows.

Ed Vaizey, the broadcasting minister, said the regulatory implications of dangling the carrot of greater prominence on EPGs in order to encourage more public service shows will be researched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Speaking at the Oxford Media Convention on Wednesday, Vaizey said: "We need to find new ways to reward public service broadcasters who invest in UK content and perhaps also to broaden our definition of what a public service broadcaster is."

He added that in the digital age the current "quid pro quo of free, scarce spectrum for the broadcaster that produces public service programmes is not what it was".

Vaizey went on: "One idea we are keen to explore and that we will raise in the green paper is the potential for government to encourage investment in UK content through the electronic programme guide, as a lever.

"At present the EPG, though statutory, is governed by a code of practice which is policed by Ofcom. The main PSBs are meant to be given appropriate prominence, but the broadcasters have some discretion, and Ofcom does not have the power to prescribe or guarantee a specific position."

He added: "In addition, many channels not currently defined as public service broadcasters invest in UK content that could fall within the traditional definition of public service content – obvious examples are news, current affairs, children's television documentaries and quality drama. So we need to look at whether the prominence rules could be used to reward those who invest in that kind of content."

Asked afterwards if that meant Sky could move to the top of the EPG, Vaizey said: "At this stage it is dangerous to talk about specifics."

He said he wanted to make the system by which EPG slots are awarded "less opaque".

Vaizey also announced the government has signed off superfast broadband plans for "almost a third of the total areas in England".

The government is planning to extend superfast broadband to 90% of the UK by 2015.

However, it is understood that three local authorities, as yet unnamed, are causing concern at the DCMS that they may not reach the target.

Vaizey declined to reveal more about what is in the imminent green paper, which will be followed by public consultation, a white paper and then a draft communications bill by 2013, but indicated that his department is keen to "move more towards a system of self-regulation".

And he said on the issue of data privacy that all citizens should "have a right to say how their data is stored and used".

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