The Contracting Out (Functions relating to Wireless Telegraphy) Order 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes provision to enable the Secretary of State to authorise another person, or that person’s employees, to exercise the Secretary of State’s functions under section 1 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (c. 54) insofar as they relate to programme making.

Programme making is defined in article 2(1) of the Order to include the making of a programme for broadcast, the making of a film, presentation, advertisement or audio or video tape, and the staging or performance of an entertainment, sporting or other public event. Radio may be used in programme making in a variety of ways, for example:

(a) to allow directors to communicate with performers and technicians;

(b) to transmit programme material at outside broadcast locations to mobile control rooms, for recording or onward routing to a studio centre;

(c) to link mobile cameras (for example those used in news gathering) to fixed reception points for onward routing; and

(d) for radio microphones, which are extensively used in broadcasting and in film production and entertainment generally.