Communications Act 2003

Media ownership provisions

54 (1) Part 4 of Schedule 14 to this Act is to have effect—

(a) in relation to times before the television transfer date as if references to OFCOM were, in relation to licences under Part 1 of the 1990 Act or Part 1 of the 1996 Act, references to the ITC; and

(b) in relation to times before the radio transfer date as if references to OFCOM were, in relation to licences under Part 3 of the 1990 Act or Part 2 of the 1996 Act, references to the Radio Authority.

(2) A determination by the ITC or the Radio Authority under paragraph 2(2) of Part 2 of Schedule 2 to the 1990 Act which is in force immediately before the commencement of Part 4 of Schedule 14 to this Act is to have effect on and after its commencement as a determination under paragraph 15 of that Schedule to this Act.

(3) Any guidance issued by the ITC and the Radio Authority under paragraph 2(3) of Part 2 of Schedule 2 to the 1990 Act and in force immediately before the commencement of Part 4 of Schedule 14 to this Act is to have effect on and after its commencement as guidance published under paragraph 15(4) of that Schedule to this Act.

(4) Anything done under paragraph 15 of Schedule 14 by the ITC or the Radio Authority which is in force immediately before the relevant transfer date is to have effect on and after that date as if done under that paragraph by OFCOM.

(5) The following powers under enactments in force before the relevant transfer date shall be exercisable by OFCOM at all times on or after that date in relation to a pre-commencement contravention of a requirement imposed by or under Parts 3 to 5 of Schedule 2 to the 1990 Act—

(a) all the powers and duties of the ITC under section 5 of the 1990 Act and section 5 of the 1996 Act;

(b) all the powers and duties of the Radio Authority under section 88 of the 1990 Act and section 44 of the 1996 Act; and

(c) all the other powers and duties of the ITC or the Radio Authority in relation to contraventions of conditions imposed under section 5 or 88 of the 1990 Act or section 5 or 44 of the 1996 Act.

(6) For the purpose of determining whether anything occurring after the relevant transfer date is a pre-commencement contravention of a requirement imposed by or under Parts 3 to 5 of Schedule 2 to the 1990 Act, references in those Parts of that Schedule to the ITC or to the Radio Authority are to be construed as including references to OFCOM.

(7) In this paragraph—

• “pre-commencement contravention” means a contravention of a requirement which occurred before the coming into force of the repeal by this Act of the provision by or under which the requirement was imposed; and

• “the relevant transfer date”—

  (a)

  in relation to the ITC, means the television transfer date; and

  (b)

  in relation to the Radio Authority, means the radio transfer date.