Online broadcast content cannot be regulated in the same way as public service or satellite broadcasting, Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom, has said, at the Oxford Media Convention 2009.

Planting the offline broadcast regulation model onto the internet would be 'crazy', he told delegates at the Oxford Media Convention.

The industry body is set to review its remit regarding online broadcasting regulation, Richards said, adding that a 'tiered approach' reflecting different media is needed.

"We need to get close to users and browsers and understand what they expect of different environments. People understand that from public service broadcasters they're getting a certain type of content and regulation, as with satellite and online," he said.

"The territory we're in, is understanding what those tiers are and how to enhance them."

Self-regulation by online broadcasters, in particular to protect children, will also play a significant role in future plans, he added.

Full audio of Ed Richard's speech to the convention will be available shortly. Journalism.co.uk OMC '09 coverage: Twitter stream for the chat surrounding today’s Oxford Media Convention on the blog; news on the main site and on the Editors' Blog; follow live, via @journalism_live on Twitter.

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