Broadcasting Act 1990

2 (1) It shall be the duty of the Commission to discharge their functions under this Schedule as respects the licensing of diffusion services in the manner which they consider is best calculated to ensure fair and effective competition in the provision of such services and services connected with them.

(2) The Commission—

(a) shall not grant a licence to any person under paragraph 3 or 8(2) in Part II of this Schedule unless they are satisfied that he is a fit and proper person to hold it; and

(b) shall do all that they can to secure that, if they cease to be so satisfied in the case of any person holding a relevant licence, that person does not remain the holder of the licence;

and nothing in that Part of this Schedule shall be construed as affecting the operation of this sub-paragraph or paragraph 3 below.

(3) The payment or payments required to be rendered to the Commission—

(a) in the case of a licence which continues in force by virtue of paragraph 1 or 5 in Part II of this Schedule, by virtue of conditions included in it in pursuance of section 4(5)(b) of the 1984 Act, or

(b) by virtue of conditions included in a licence in pursuance of paragraph 3(3)(b) or 8(4) in Part II of this Schedule,

shall be such as to represent what appears to the Commission to be the appropriate contribution of the holder of the licence towards meeting the sums which the Commission regard as necessary in order to discharge their duty under paragraph 12(1) of Schedule 1 to this Act.

(4) The Commission may vary a relevant licence by a notice served on the holder of the licence if—

(a) in the case of a variation of the period for which the licence is to continue in force, the licence holder consents; or

(b) in the case of any other variation, the licence holder has been given a reasonable opportunity of making representations to the Commission about the variation.

(5) The Commission shall not under sub-paragraph (4)—

(a) vary the period for which a licence to provide a prescribed diffusion service is to continue in force if that period, as varied, would exceed—

(i) fifteen years in the case of a licence to which section 4(4)(a) of the 1984 Act applied immediately before the transfer date, or

(ii) eight years in the case of any other licence, or

(b) vary the period for which—

(i) a licence to which paragraph 5(1) in Part II of this Schedule applies, or

(ii) a licence granted in pursuance of paragraph 8(2) in that Part,

is to continue in force.

(6) Sub-paragraph (4)(a) does not apply to any variation effected in accordance with paragraph 5(4) or 8(5) in Part II of this Schedule; but any such variation shall be effected by means of a notice served by the Commission on the holder of the licence in question.

(7) Section 3(6) and (7) of this Act shall apply to a relevant licence as they apply to a licence granted under Part II of this Act.