Mr Powell has promised Congress bigger fines and tougher enforcement, including revoking public-broadcasting licences of repeat offenders.

ECONOMIST: Farewell, Pompeii

The agency's deregulation in June 2003 of America's media-ownership rules (which limit the freedom of firms with public-broadcasting licences to buy other media companies) got partially reversed by Congress (in December 2003), and then put on ice altogether by the courts (in June 2004).

ECONOMIST: Face value

At the beginning of this year, STV won local TV licences to provide evening broadcasting for Edinburgh and Glasgow.

BBC: STV sees profits rise and debt cut

New local TV licences have been awarded to provide evening broadcasting for Edinburgh and Glasgow.

BBC: STV awarded Glasgow and Edinburgh local TV licences