Textual Amendments
F1Word in Pt. 3 inserted (8.6.2010) by Digital Economy Act 2010 (c. 24), ss. 22(4), 47(1)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Pt. 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
C2Pt. 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
C3Pt. 3 modified (1.4.2025) by The Community Radio Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/160), arts. 1(2), 4, Sch. (with art. 8)
Textual Amendments
F2Ss. 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)
F3Ss. 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)
(1)The regulatory regime for every Channel 3 service includes the conditions (if any) that OFCOM consider appropriate in the case of that service for securing [F4in each year]—
(a)[F5that what appears to OFCOM to be a suitable proportion of Channel 3 programmes made in the United Kingdom are programmes made in the United Kingdom outside the M25 area;]
[F5that the provider of that service makes available qualifying audiovisual content that, so far as it consists of Channel 3 programmes made in the United Kingdom, includes Channel 3 programmes made outside the M25 area;
(aa)that the duration (in total) of the Channel 3 programmes that are made in the United Kingdom outside the M25 area is at least the number of hours that OFCOM consider appropriate;]
(b)that [F6the Channel 3 programmes that are made in the United Kingdom outside the M25 area] [F6those programmes] (taken together) constitute what appears to OFCOM to be a suitable range of programmes;
(c)that what appears to OFCOM to be [F7a suitable proportion] [F7a suitable amount] of the expenditure of the providers of Channel 3 services on Channel 3 programmes made in the United Kingdom is referable to programme production at different production centres outside the M25 area; and
(d)that the different programme production centres to which that expenditure is referable constitute what appears to OFCOM to be a suitable range of such production centres.
(2)In the case of a national Channel 3 service, subsection (1) requires the inclusion of conditions in the licence for the service only where OFCOM consider, having regard to the nature of the service, that it would be appropriate for conditions falling within that subsection to be so included.
(3)The regulatory regime for Channel 5 includes the conditions that OFCOM consider appropriate for securing [F8in each year]—
(a)[F9that what appears to OFCOM to be a suitable proportion of the programmes made in the United Kingdom for viewing on that Channel are programmes made in the United Kingdom outside the M25 area;]
[F9that the provider of that Channel makes available qualifying audiovisual content that, so far as it consists of programmes made in the United Kingdom, includes programmes made outside the M25 area;
(aa)that the duration (in total) of the programmes that are made in the United Kingdom outside the M25 area is at least the number of hours that OFCOM consider appropriate;]
(b)that [F10the programmes for such viewing that are made in the United Kingdom outside the M25 area] [F10those programmes] (taken together) constitute what appears to OFCOM to be a suitable range of programmes;
(c)that what appears to OFCOM to be [F11a suitable proportion] [F11a suitable amount] of the expenditure of the provider of Channel 5 on programmes made in the United Kingdom for viewing on that Channel [F12, or for viewing by means of any other qualifying audiovisual service provided by the provider of that Channel,] is referable to programme production at different production centres outside the M25 area; and
(d)that the different programme production centres to which that expenditure is referable constitute what appears to OFCOM to be a suitable range of such production centres.
(4)Before imposing a condition under this section, OFCOM must consult the person on whom it is to be imposed.
(5)The requirement to consult is satisfied, in the case of the imposition of a condition by way of a variation of a licence, by compliance with section 3(4)(b) of the 1990 Act (obligation to give opportunity to make representations about variation).
(6)[F13A proportion] [F13An amount of expenditure] is not to be regarded by OFCOM as suitable for the purposes of a provision of this section if it constitutes less than [F14a significant proportion of the programmes or expenditure] [F14a significant amount of the expenditure] in question.
(7)In this section—
“Channel 3 programmes” means programmes made for viewing on Channel 3 [F15, or for viewing by means of any other qualifying audiovisual service provided by a provider of a Channel 3 service,] in more than one area for which regional Channel 3 services are provided, including any programme made for viewing on a national Channel 3 service other than a regional programme;
“expenditure”, in relation to a programme, means—
expenditure which constitutes an investment in or is otherwise attributable to the making of the programme; or
expenditure on the commissioning or other acquisition of the programme or on the acquisition of a right to include it in a service or to have it broadcast;
“programme” does not include an advertisement; and
“regional programme” means a programme made with a view to its inclusion in a national Channel 3 service as a programme of particular interest to persons living within a particular area of the United Kingdom.
[F16(8)See also sections 278B and 278C (which make further provision for the interpretation of this section etc).]
Textual Amendments
F4Words in s. 286(1) inserted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(2)(a), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F5S. 286(1)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 286(1)(a) (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(2)(b), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F6Words in s. 286(1)(b) substituted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(2)(c), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F7Words in s. 286(1)(c) substituted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(2)(d), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F8Words in s. 286(3) inserted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(3)(a), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F9S. 286(3)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 286(3)(a) (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(3)(b), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F10Words in s. 286(3)(b) substituted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(3)(c), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F11Words in s. 286(3)(c) substituted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(3)(d), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F12Words in s. 286(3)(c) inserted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(3)(e), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F13Words in s. 286(6) substituted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(4)(a), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F14Words in s. 286(6) substituted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(4)(b), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F15Words in s. 286(7) inserted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(5), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
F16S. 286(8) inserted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 14(6), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
Commencement Information
I1S. 286 in force at 29.12.2003 by S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)