Commentary on Sections Part 3: Television and Radio Services Chapter 3: Regulatory Structure for Independent Radio Services Section 251: Abolition of separate licences for certain sound services
552.This section abolishes the two forms of licence which the radio licensable content service licence replaces. It puts in place transitional provisions so that after the radio transfer date any persons holding one of the abolished licence types is to be regulated by OFCOM as if he held a radio licensable content service licence, unless the service is of a kind that falls outside the definition and so no longer requires a licence at all. To the extent that any existing licence takes effect as a licence to provide a radio licensable content service, OFCOM must use their power under section 86 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 to modify that licence if they feel that it is necessary to do so in order to comply with their duty under section 263 (see below).