Commentary on Sections Part 3: Television and Radio Services Chapter 4: Regulatory Provisions Section 280: Appointed news providers for Channel 3
601.OFCOM are to include in every regional Channel 3 licence conditions to secure nationwide broadcasting of news programmes that are able to compete with other television news programmes broadcast nationwide in the United Kingdom. Such conditions must require that all holders of regional Channel 3 licences maintain arrangements for the appointment of a single body corporate as the appointed news provider and that at all times when a licensee is providing a regional Channel 3 service there is a news provider appointed under those arrangements.
602.Subsection (3) provides that OFCOM must approve the terms of appointment, to ensure that the finances of the appointed person are adequate to meet news obligations throughout the period of appointment. Holders of the regional Channel 3 licences and the body which is the appointed news provider are required to provide OFCOM with all such information as they may need to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place and working effectively.
603.Subsection (5) provides that news programmes must always be provided by the person who is the appointed news provider, and must be broadcast simultaneously with the broadcasting of news programmes included in other regional Channel 3 services.