{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/broadcasting-act-1996/section-121",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/broadcasting-act-1996/section-121.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/55",
  "legislation_title": "Broadcasting Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/broadcasting-act-1996",
  "path": "section/121",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "121",
  "heading": "Certain statements etc. protected by qualified privilege for purposes of defamation.",
  "text": "(1) For the purposes of the law relating to defamation—\n(a) publication of any statement in the course of the consideration by OFCOM of, and their adjudication on, a fairness complaint,\n(b) publication by OFCOM of directions under section 119(1) relating to a fairness complaint, or\n(c) publication of a report of OFCOM , so far as the report relates to fairness complaints,\nis privileged unless the publication is shown to be made with malice.\n(2) Nothing in subsection (1) shall be construed as limiting any privilege subsisting apart from that subsection.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in ss. 118-121 substituted (29.12.2003) by Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), s. 411(2), Sch. 15 para. 132(2) (with Sch. 18); S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/55/section/121",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T17:13:48.242068+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}