[Keith]

Streamed channels face Ofcom regulation
On the day right wing news channel Newsmax secured its own Freeview channel number, the Government has confirmed plans to bring online-only channels under Ofcom control.

Full article: rxtvinfo.com 

Streamed channels face Ofcom regulation > RXTV info
On the day right wing news channel Newsmax secured its own Freeview channel numb…
  Source: rxtvinfo.com

In some respects it's slightly surprising that online-only channels weren't already under OFCOM's control.  It may be interesting to see how these channels are defined.  

There's currently got online channels on Freeview which have a channel number.  Then there's FAST channels (and iPlayer equivalent), most of which don't have a dedicated channel number on platforms.  Though unlikely, I wonder if YouTube could potentially even fall under regulation, as their app is commonly included on most smart TVs & platforms, and some YouTube channels contain programmes and live content.

[Technologist]

Read her speech in full ….. it covers a lot…
What is probably mkre controversial is EPG regulation….
Rather than content regulation …
except that is a tremendous increase in workload ..
Assuming that a slightly more relaxed policy is taken ..
www.gov.uk 

Lucy Frazer's speech to the Royal Television Society - GOV.UK
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer addresses the Royal …
  Source: www.gov.uk

[Brekkie]

It would make sense for channels listed on an EPG on Freeview, Satellite and Cable, regardless of how they're delivered, to have to comply to the broadcasting code on quality and impartiality at least (perhaps fair enough to have flexibility around ads and funding rules). Beyond that it's more of a grey area.

[Technologist]

It would make sense for channels listed on an EPG on Freeview, Satellite and Cable, regardless of how they're delivered, to have to comply to the broadcasting code on quality and impartiality at least (perhaps fair enough to have flexibility around ads and funding rules). Beyond that it's more of a grey area.

so you are not deeming an IP delivered EPG as an EPG .... worthly of content regulation!
and how do you define an EPG?
noting
- that the UK DTT platform has had more than one at any time which viewers could choose to use (or not)
- the first international specification for EPG assumed multiple EPGs
- Ceefax was changed so as not to be an EPG...
and surely www.radiotimes.com  is a EPG (currently un regulated)

TV Guide & Listings | Radio Times
TV Guide and Listings for all UK TV channels; BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Freeview, Sky…
  Source: www.radiotimes.com

it might be a good idea to ensure that EPG technology conforms to an open and international standard.
But what we think of a a EPG is more a Service guide ... usually working from DVB-SI.
Or to mandate that every item has a EIDR code!

I agree that a good starting point for content regulation is though a discovery method
- but is the grid going to die in the face of many thousands of programmes being availble...

Just as discovery has been talked about for many years - how is public service media ,
which it is presumed needs some prominence, going to be defined ?????
......that has been a long campaign in the EBU!

Thats is why I said that EPG regulation was going to be difficult !