Commentary on Sections Topic 5: Independent television services Section 25: Initial expiry date for Channel 3 and 5 and public teletext licences
122.Section 224(2) of the 2003 Act provides the Secretary of State with the power, by order, to postpone the initial expiry date of licences to provide Channel 3 services, the licence to provide Channel 5, and the licence to provide the public teletext service. This section amends section 224(2) to provide that different initial expiry dates may be set for those three different types of licence.
123.Section 224(3) of the 2003 Act currently prevents the Secretary of State from exercising the power to postpone the initial expiry date if digital switchover is set to occur before 1 July 2013. The section repeals section 224(3) and therefore gives the Secretary of State more flexibility to extend the duration of licences where appropriate.