Commentary on Sections Part 3: Television and Radio Services Chapter 2: Regulatory Structure for Independent Television Services Section 224: Meaning of “initial expiry date”
501.The initial expiry date for the purposes of Part 3 of the Act is 31st December 2014, unless it is postponed under this section.
502.The Secretary of State may postpone the initial expiry date on one or more occasions. This is to ensure that the licences will not expire less than eighteen months after the date set for digital switchover. This power can only be exercised where switchover is later than 30th June 2013.
503.Subsections (4) and (5) have the effect that the initial expiry date must always fall at least 18 months after digital switchover (so that the licences will continue for at least that long after switchover).
504.The extended licence will be deemed to be granted on the same terms as the original one.
505.“The date for digital switchover” is defined by subsection (8) as the date that appears to the Secretary of State to be the date after which Channel 3 and Channel 5 services are no longer to be broadcast to any significant extent in analogue form.