Section 24 Digital additional services.

United Kingdom

(1)

In this Part “digital additional service” means any service F1(or dissociable section of a service) which—

(a)

F2is provided by a person with a view to its being broadcast in digital form (whether by him or some other person) so as to be available for reception by members of the public;

(b)

is so provided with a view either—

(i)

to the broadcasting being by means of a television multiplex service or by means of a general multiplex service; or

(ii)

to the members of the public in question being or including members of the public in F3a CTT State other than the United Kingdom, or in an area of such a State;

and

(c)

is not a Channel 3 service, Channel 4, Channel 5, a public television service of F4S4C, F5... a digital programme service, a digital sound programme service, an ancillary service or a technical service.

(2)

In this Part “ancillary service” means any service which is provided by the holder of a digital programme licence or by an F6a relevant public service broadcaster and consists in the provision of—

(a)

F7assistance for disabled people in relation to some or all of the programmes included in a digital programme service or qualifying service provided by him;

(b)

a service (apart from advertising) that relates to the promotion or listing of programmes included in such a service or in a digital sound programme service so provided; or

(c)

any other service (apart from advertising) that is ancillary to one or more programmes so included, and relates directly to their contents.

(3)

In this Part “technical service” means a service which—

(a)

is provided for technical purposes connected with the encryption or decryption of one or more digital programme services F8, digital sound programme services or digital additional services, and

(b)

is of a description specified in an order made by the Secretary of State.

(3A)

F9In this section—

“assistance for disabled people” has the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Communications Act 2003;

“available for reception by members of the public” shall be construed in accordance with section 361 of that Act;

“public television service of F10S4C” means—

(a)

S4C Digital; or

(b)

any television programme service F11provided in digital form by S4C in fulfilling its public service remit;

“relevant public service broadcaster” means any of the following—

(a)

a person licensed under Part 1 of the 1990 Act to provide a Channel 3 service;

(b)

the Channel 4 Corporation;

(c)

a person licensed under Part 1 of the 1990 Act to provide Channel 5;

(d)

the BBC;

(e)

F12S4C;

(f)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4)

An order under subsection (3) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Words in s. 24(1) inserted (1.11.2020) by The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1062), regs. 1(2), 3(b)
F2: S. 24(1)(a)-(c) substituted for s. 24(1)(a)(b) (29.12.2003) by Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), s. 411(2), Sch. 15 para. 93(2) (with Sch. 18); S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)
F3: Words in s. 24(1)(b)(ii) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Broadcasting (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/224), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 5 (with reg. 6) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1536, reg. 5(2)(3)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F4: Word in s. 24(1)(c) substituted (23.8.2024) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(c), Sch. 4 para. 19(2); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(x)
F5: Words in s. 24(1)(c) omitted (23.8.2024) by virtue of Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(a), Sch. 2 para. 9(2); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(v)
F6: Words in s. 24(2) substituted (29.12.2003) by Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), s. 411(2), Sch. 15 para. 93(3)(a) (with Sch. 18); S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)
F7: S. 24(2)(a)-(c) substituted for s. 24(2)(a)(b) (29.12.2003) by Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), s. 411(2), Sch. 15 para. 93(3)(b) (with Sch. 18); S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)
F8: Words in s. 24(3)(a) inserted (29.12.2003) by Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), s. 411(2), Sch. 15 para. 93(4) (with Sch. 18); S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)
F9: S. 24(3A) inserted (29.12.2003) by Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), s. 411(2), Sch. 15 para. 93(5) (with Sch. 18); S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)
F10: Word in s. 24(3A) substituted (23.8.2024) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(c), Sch. 4 para. 19(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(x)
F11: Word in s. 24(3A) substituted (1.1.2026) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(c), Sch. 4 para. 19(3)(b); S.I. 2025/1049, reg. 3(v)
F12: Word in s. 24(3A) substituted (23.8.2024) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(c), Sch. 4 para. 19(4); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(x)
F13: Words in s. 24(3A) omitted (23.8.2024) by virtue of Media Act 2024 (c. 15), s. 55(3)(a), Sch. 2 para. 9(3); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 2(1)(v)