Commentary on Sections Part 3: Television and Radio Services Chapter 2: Regulatory Structure for Independent Television Services Section 235: Licensing of television licensable content services
528.A television licensable content service is required for the purposes of section 13 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 to have a licence under Part 1 of that Act awarded according to an application procedure that is set by OFCOM. OFCOM must approve the application unless they are not satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold the licence, or if the person is disqualified from holding the licence by virtue of Part 2 of Schedule 2 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 or if there would be a contravention of Schedule 14 of this Act if he held the licence. OFCOM are entitled to refuse an application if satisfied that the service would be unlikely to comply with OFCOM’s standards code or the code on fairness issued under Part 5 of the Broadcasting Act 1996.
529.Subsection (4) requires that a provider must seek a separate licence for every television licensable content service he proposes to offer. In other words, if a provider is intending to offer three television licensable content services he must have three licences, one for each service. Subsection (5) provides that a single licence may authorise different programmes to be broadcast simultaneously, or virtually so, for example where a service provides a choice of programmes that may be viewed at any one time.
530.Each licence for a television licensable content service will be valid until surrendered or revoked.