Commentary on Sections Topic 5: Independent television services Background
117.In the Digital Britain: Final Report, the government accepted OFCOM’s analysis that the value of the existing commercially-owned public service broadcasting Channel 3 licences will decline further between now and the completion of digital switchover and that the regulatory obligations attached to the licences will therefore require further review over the period. Sections 24 to 30 make amendments to provisions contained in the Broadcasting Act 1990 (“the 1990 Act”) and the Communications Act 2003 (“the 2003 Act”) in order to introduce additional flexibility into the licence processes for the commercially funded public service television broadcasters.