Grade slams Ofcom role.(Michael Grade demands for lighter regulations for television broadcasting industry by Office of Communications)

ITV boss urges industry to 'resist the nanny state' imposed by comms regulator.

The ITV executive chairman, Michael Grade, is demanding lighter regulation in the TV industry, and challenged the regulator Ofcom to 'either ban TV advertising altogether or get out of our lives'.

His comments were made during a panel debate with Channel 4's chief executive, Andy Duncan, and five's chief executive, Jane Lighting, at the Thinkbox Experience conference on Tuesday.

Grade and Lighting said Ofcom's restrictions were too harsh at the London event, and called for greater self-regulation by the industry, along with more co-operation between the major broadcasters.

'At a time when we really need to be pushing forward, we seem to be developing more of a nanny state,' Lighting said, adding concerns that there would be further restrictions on TV advertising for alcohol and automotive sectors.

Grade also called on the industry to 'resist the nanny state' that Ofcom had created. 'We could work better together in resisting some of the nonsense from them,' he said.

The debate also discussed the ongoing importance of TV scheduling and the challenges around the internet.