MediaCommunications

MediaCom View: With regard to the digital switchover in 2012, Ofcom has highlighted plans to ensure that the major terrestrial channels still reach 98.5% of UK households. They are also considering capacity concerns by allowing the signal to be reduced in favour of capacity expansion, although this could compromise some set-top boxes.

MediaCom View: Ofcom is currently considering reducing the restrictions on product placement within television, but it promises to be a tricky task. One problem that C4 have flagged up is that programme producers could receive 85% of the income. Not a problem for ITV, who produce 75% of their programming, but a problem for C4, who produce only 15%. As a result C4 are lobbying Ofcom to reduce this bias, but either way product placement rules look set to change.

MediaCom View: The battle of the reality shows started to kick off this week as ITV managed to overhaul Big Brother for the first time on Monday night. Both shows continue to average around 4 million viewers this week but on Monday night Celeb Love Island averaged 1 million extra viewers over Big Brother. By Tuesday Big Brother had reversed this trend but as the housemates get increasingly fractious ITV may still do better than most expected.

MediaCom View: Ofcom have licensed the 'Baby TV' channel which has understandably angered existing rival 'The Baby Channel' over the similarity of their names. They are currently threatening the regulator with judicial review but Ofcom claim that this does not fall under their licensing remit.

MediaCom View: Offbeat culture magazine Bizarre has undergone a major re-design to coincide with its 100th issue. Many existing sections have been revamped and new features introduced, including ''Reviews'' and a sealed adult section ''Sleaze''. The issue, which goes hits newsstands on the 21st June, will include a greatest hits section of the weird and wonderful pictures from the last 100 issues.