Part 3

Television and Radio Services ETC
Chapter 4

Regulatory provisions

The public service remit for television

OFCOM reports on the fulfilment of the public service remit
264
1
It shall be the duty of OFCOM—
a
as soon as practicable after the end of the period of twelve months beginning with the commencement of this section, and
b
as soon as practicable after the end of each such subsequent period as may be selected by OFCOM for the purposes of this section,
to satisfy, for that period, the review and reporting obligations of subsection (3).
2
The period selected by OFCOM for the purposes of subsection (1)(b) must be a period of not more than five years beginning with the end of the previous period for which OFCOM have satisfied those review and reporting obligations.
3
The review and reporting obligations for a period are—
a
an obligation to carry out a review of the extent to which the public service broadcasters have, during that period, provided relevant television services which (taking them all together over the period as a whole) fulfil the purposes of public service television broadcasting in the United Kingdom; and
b
an obligation, with a view to maintaining and strengthening the quality of public service television broadcasting in the United Kingdom, to prepare a report on the matters found on the review.
The review and reporting obligations for a period are—
a
an obligation to carry out a review of the extent to which the public service remit for television in the United Kingdom has, during that period, been fulfilled by the public service broadcasters (taking them all together over the period as a whole); and
b
an obligation, with a view to maintaining and strengthening the quality of the audiovisual content made available in order to fulfil the public service remit for television in the United Kingdom, to prepare a report on the matters found in the review.
4
The purposes of public service television broadcasting in the United Kingdom are—
a
the provision of relevant television services which secure that programmes dealing with a wide range of subject-matters are made available for viewing;
b
the provision of relevant television services in a manner which (having regard to the days on which they are shown and the times of day at which they are shown) is likely to meet the needs and satisfy the interests of as many different audiences as practicable;
c
the provision of relevant television services which (taken together and having regard to the same matters) are properly balanced, so far as their nature and subject-matters are concerned, for meeting the needs and satisfying the interests of the available audiences; and
d
the provision of relevant television services which (taken together) maintain high general standards with respect to the programmes included in them, and, in particular with respect to—
i
the contents of the programmes;
ii
the quality of the programme making; and
iii
the professional skill and editorial integrity applied in the making of the programmes.
The public service remit for television in the United Kingdom is fulfilled where the public service broadcasters (taken together) make available a broad range of audiovisual content—
a
in a manner which, taking into account when and how their relevant audiovisual services are received or accessed, is likely to meet the needs and satisfy the interests of as many different audiences as practicable, and
b
which meets the needs and satisfies the interests of as many different available audiences as practicable as regards the nature of the audiovisual content made available and the subject-matters covered by it,
and that range of audiovisual content includes material satisfying the requirements in
subsection (5)
and itself satisfies the requirement in
subsection (6)
.
5
When—
a
determining the extent to which any of the purposes of public service television broadcasting in the United Kingdom are fulfilled, and
b
reviewing and reporting on that matter,
OFCOM
must have regard to the desirability of those purposes being fulfilled in a manner that is compatible with subsection (6).
The requirements in this subsection are—
a
that the audiovisual content made available by the public service broadcasters (taken together) provides, to the extent that is appropriate for facilitating civic understanding and fair and well-informed debate on news and current affairs, a comprehensive and authoritative coverage of news and current affairs—
i
in, and in the different parts of, the United Kingdom, and
ii
from around the world;
b
that the audiovisual content made available by the public service broadcasters (taken together) comprises a public service for the dissemination of information and for the provision of education and entertainment, which includes what appears to OFCOM to be—
i
a sufficient quantity of audiovisual content that reflects the lives and concerns of different communities and cultural interests and traditions within the United Kingdom, and locally in different parts of the United Kingdom, and
ii
a sufficient quantity of audiovisual content that is in, or mainly in, a recognised regional or minority language;
c
that the audiovisual content made available by the public service broadcasters (taken together) includes an appropriate range and quantity of audiovisual content, contained in original productions, that—
i
reflects the lives and concerns of children and young people in the United Kingdom,
ii
is of an educational nature, and
iii
helps them to understand the world around them; and
d
that the audiovisual content made available by the public service broadcasters (taken together) includes—
i
an appropriate range of independent productions with an appropriate combined duration,
ii
an appropriate range of original productions with an appropriate combined duration, and
iii
so far as the audiovisual content consists of programmes made in the United Kingdom, an appropriate range of programmes made outside the M25 area with an appropriate combined duration.
6
A manner of fulfilling the purposes of public service television broadcasting in the United Kingdom is compatible with this subsection if it ensures—
a
that the relevant television services (taken together) comprise a public service for the dissemination of information and for the provision of education and entertainment;
b
that cultural activity in the United Kingdom, and its diversity, are reflected, supported and stimulated by the representation in those services (taken together) of drama, comedy and music, by the inclusion of feature films in those services and by the treatment of other visual and performing arts;
c
that those services (taken together) provide, to the extent that is appropriate for facilitating civic understanding and fair and well-informed debate on news and current affairs, a comprehensive and authoritative coverage of news and current affairs in, and in the different parts of, the United Kingdom and from around the world;
d
that those services (taken together) satisfy a wide range of different sporting and other leisure interests;
e
that those services (taken together) include what appears to
OFCOM
to be a suitable quantity and range of programmes on educational matters, of programmes of an educational nature and of other programmes of educative value;
f
that those services (taken together) include what appears to
OFCOM
to be a suitable quantity and range of programmes dealing with each of the following, science, religion and other beliefs, social issues, matters of international significance or interest and matters of specialist interest;
g
that the programmes included in those services that deal with religion and other beliefs include—
i
programmes providing news and other information about different religions and other beliefs;
ii
programmes about the history of different religions and other beliefs; and
iii
programmes showing acts of worship and other ceremonies and practices (including some showing acts of worship and other ceremonies in their entirety);
h
that those services (taken together) include what appears to
OFCOM
to be a suitable quantity and range of high quality and original programmes for children and young people;
i
that those services (taken together) include what appears to
OFCOM
to be a sufficient quantity of programmes that reflect the lives and concerns of different communities and cultural interests and traditions within the United Kingdom, and locally in different parts of the United Kingdom;
j
that those services (taken together), so far as they include programmes made in the United Kingdom, include what appears to
OFCOM
to be an appropriate range and proportion of programmes made outside the M25 area.
The requirement in this subsection is that the range of genres of audiovisual content made available by the public service broadcasters (taken together) constitutes an appropriate range of genres.
7
In carrying out a review under this section
OFCOM
must consider—
a
the costs to persons providing relevant television services of the fulfilment of the purposes of public service television broadcasting in a manner compatible with subsection (6); and
b
the sources of income available to each of them for meeting those costs.
Particular audiovisual content made available by a public service broadcaster is not to be taken into account for the purpose of determining the extent to which the public service remit for television in the United Kingdom is fulfilled unless the broadcaster has taken steps to ensure that the audiovisual content in question may be received or accessed in accordance with
subsection (8)
by so much of the broadcaster’s intended audience as is reasonably practicable.
8
Every report under this section must—
a
specify, and comment on, whatever changes appear to
OFCOM
to have occurred, during the period to which the report relates, in the extent to which the purposes of public service television broadcasting in the United Kingdom have been satisfied;
b
specify, and comment on, whatever changes appear to
OFCOM
to have occurred, during that period, in the manner in which those purposes are fulfilled;
c
set out the findings of
OFCOM
on their consideration of the matters mentioned in subsection (7) and any conclusions they have arrived at in relation to those findings; and
d
set out
OFCOM
’s conclusions on the current state of public service television broadcasting in the United Kingdom.
Audiovisual content may be received or accessed in accordance with this subsection if—
a
the audiovisual content, and
b
the relevant audiovisual service by means of which the audiovisual content is provided,
may be received or accessed in intelligible form and free of charge.
8A
Any requirement to pay sums in accordance with regulations under section 365 is to be disregarded for the purpose of determining whether audiovisual content may be received or accessed in accordance with
subsection (8)
.
8B
Particular audiovisual content made available by a public service broadcaster by means of an on-demand programme service or a non-UK on-demand programme service is not to be taken into account for the purpose of determining the extent to which the public service remit for television in the United Kingdom is fulfilled unless the audiovisual content in question is available for a period of not less than 30 days beginning with the day on which that content is first made available for viewing.
8C
Subsection
(8B)
does not apply to news programmes or programmes containing coverage of sporting events that are made available by a public service broadcaster by means of an on-demand programme service or a non-UK on-demand programme service.
8D
The Secretary of State may by regulations amend
subsection (8B)
so as to substitute a different period for the period for the time being specified there.
8E
In carrying out a review under this section OFCOM must consider—
a
the costs to public service broadcasters of fulfilling the public service remit for television in the United Kingdom;
b
the sources of income available to them for meeting those costs.
8F
Every report under this section must—
a
specify, and comment on, whatever changes appear to OFCOM to have occurred, during the period to which the report relates, in the extent to which the public service remit for television in the United Kingdom has been fulfilled;
b
specify, and comment on, whatever changes appear to OFCOM to have occurred, during that period, in the manner in which that remit is fulfilled;
c
set out the findings of OFCOM on their consideration of the matters mentioned in
subsection (8E)
and any conclusions they have arrived at in relation to those findings; and
d
set out OFCOM’s conclusions on the current state of the audiovisual content made available by public service broadcasters in order to fulfil the public service remit for television in the United Kingdom.
9
In performing their duties under this section, OFCOM must have regard, in particular, to—
a
every statement of programme ... policy which has been made by virtue of this Chapter by a public service broadcaster, or which is treated as such a statement;
b
every equivalent statement of policy made by the BBC in pursuance of the BBC Charter and Agreement; and
c
such matters arising at times before the coming into force of this section as OFCOM consider material.
10
Every report prepared by OFCOM under this section must be published by them—
a
as soon as practicable after its preparation is complete; and
b
in such manner as they consider appropriate.
11
The following are relevant television services for the purposes of this section—
a
the television broadcasting services provided by the
BBC
;
b
the television programme services that are public services of the Welsh Authority (within the meaning of section 207);
c
every Channel 3 service;
d
Channel 4;
e
Channel 5;
f
the public teletext service.
The following are relevant audiovisual services for the purposes of this section—
a
a television broadcasting service;
b
a television licensable content service;
c
a digital television programme service;
d
an on-demand programme service;
e
a non-UK on-demand programme service;
f
a service, other than a service referred to in any of paragraphs
(a)
to
(e)
, which falls within
subsection (11A)
.
11A
A service falls within this subsection if it is a service, or a dissociable section of a service, which has the following characteristics—
a
its principal purpose is the provision of programmes,
b
the programmes which it provides are accessed by viewers by means of the internet,
c
there is a person who has general control over which programmes are comprised in the service or the dissociable section of the service (whether or not the person has control of the content of individual programmes or the distribution of the service), and
d
the service or the dissociable section of the service is available for use by members of the public in all or part of the United Kingdom.
11B
The services that are to be taken for the purposes of
subsection (11A)
(d)
to be available for use by members of the public include any service which—
a
is made available for use only to persons who subscribe to the service (whether for a period or in relation to a particular occasion) or who otherwise request its provision, but
b
is a service the facility of subscribing to which, or otherwise requesting its provision, is offered or made available to members of the public.
12
The following are public service broadcasters for the purposes of this section—
a
the BBC;
b
S4C;
and
c
the providers of the licensed public service channels; ...
d. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
In this section—
- “
belief
” means a collective belief in, or other adherence to, a systemised set of ethical or philosophical principles or of mystical or transcendental doctrines; and
- “
drama
” includes contemporary and other drama in a variety of different formats.
For the purposes of this section, audiovisual content is made available by a public service broadcaster if—
a
it is provided by means of a relevant audiovisual service provided by the broadcaster, or
b
it is provided by means of a relevant audiovisual service provided by another person, under arrangements made between the broadcaster and that other person.
14
In the case of a service falling within
subsection (11)
(f)
, the person, and the only person, who is to be treated for the purposes of this section as providing the service is the person described in
subsection (11A)
(c)
; and section 362(3) applies in relation to such a service as it applies in relation to a service referred to in section 362(2).
15
In this section, a reference to the provision of an on-demand programme service or a non-UK on-demand programme service is to be read in accordance with section 368R(5) and (6).
16
In this section—
- “
audiovisual content
” means the programmes, other than advertisements, included in a relevant audiovisual service;
- “
children
” means persons under the age of 18;
- “independent production”—
  1. in relation to the provider of a licensed public service channel, has the same meaning as in section 277;
  2. in relation to the BBC, has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Schedule 12;
  3. in relation to S4C, has the same meaning as in paragraph 7 of Schedule 12;
- “
intended audience
” means—
  1. in relation to the provider of a Channel 3 service provided for an area of the United Kingdom, members of the public in that area;
  2. in relation to any other public service broadcaster, members of the public in the United Kingdom;
- “original production”—
  1. in relation to the provider of a licensed public service channel, has the same meaning as in section 278;
  2. in relation to the BBC, has the meaning given by the BBC Charter and Agreement;
  3. in relation to S4C, has the same meaning as in paragraph 8 of Schedule 12;
- “
programme
” means any programme (with or without sounds) which consists of moving or still images or of legible text or of a combination of those things;
- “
recognised regional or minority language
” means Welsh, the Gaelic language as spoken in Scotland, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots or Cornish.
S. 264(12)(b) substituted (23.8.2024) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(c), Sch. 4 para. 35; S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(x)
Ss. 263-271 amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3195 art. 6 Sch. 2 (31.3.2005) by Communications (Bailiwick of Guernsey) (Amendment) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/856), arts. 1(1), 2(a)(ii)
S. 264(13)-(16) substituted for s. 264(13) (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 1(5), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
Ss. 263-271 amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3197 art. 6 Sch. 2 (31.3.2005) by Communications (Jersey) (Amendment) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/855), arts. 1(1), 2(a)(ii)
Word in Pt. 3 inserted (8.6.2010) by Digital Economy Act 2010 (c. 24), ss. 22(4), 47(1)
Words in s. 264(9)(a) omitted (23.8.2024) by virtue of Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(a), Sch. 2 para. 37(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(v)
Pt. 3 applied (with modifications) (14.2.2012) by The Local Digital Television Programme Services Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/292), arts. 1, 4, Sch. Pt. 2
S. 264(3)-(8F) substituted for s. 264(3)-(8) (23.8.2024 for specified purposes, 1.1.2026 in so far as not already in force) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 1(2), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.; S.I. 2025/1049, reg. 3(a)
S. 264(12)(d) and word omitted (23.8.2024) by virtue of Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(a), Sch. 2 para. 37(b)(ii); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(v)
Word in s. 264(12)(b) inserted (23.8.2024) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(a), Sch. 2 para. 37(b)(i); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(v)
S. 264 in force at 25.7.2003 by S.I. 2003/1900, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 4)
S. 264(11)-(11B) substituted for s. 264(11) (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 1(4), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
Pt. 3: amendment to earlier affecting provision S.I. 2012/292, Sch. Pt. 2 (12.7.2012) by The Broadcasting (Local Digital Television Programme Services and Independent Productions) (Amendment) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/1842), art. 4