{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/broadcasting-act-1996/section-24",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/broadcasting-act-1996/section-24.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/55",
  "legislation_title": "Broadcasting Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/broadcasting-act-1996",
  "path": "section/24",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "24",
  "heading": "Digital additional services.",
  "text": "(1) In this Part “digital additional service” means any service (or dissociable section of a service) which—\n(a) is 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;\n(b) is so provided with a view either—\n(i) to the broadcasting being by means of a television multiplex service or by means of a general multiplex service; or\n(ii) to the members of the public in question being or including members of the public in a CTT State other than the United Kingdom, or in an area of such a State;\nand\n(c) is not a Channel 3 service, Channel 4, Channel 5, a public television service of S4C, ... a digital programme service, a digital sound programme service, an ancillary service or a technical service.\n(2) In this Part “ancillary service” means any service which is provided by the holder of a digital programme licence or by an a relevant public service broadcaster and consists in the provision of—\n(a) assistance for disabled people in relation to some or all of the programmes included in a digital programme service or qualifying service provided by him;\n(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\n(c) any other service (apart from advertising) that is ancillary to one or more programmes so included, and relates directly to their contents.\n(3) In this Part “technical service” means a service which—\n(a) is provided for technical purposes connected with the encryption or decryption of one or more digital programme services , digital sound programme services or digital additional services, and\n(b) is of a description specified in an order made by the Secretary of State.\n(3A) In this section—\n“assistance for disabled people” has the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Communications Act 2003;\n“available for reception by members of the public” shall be construed in accordance with section 361 of that Act;\n“public television service of S4C” means—\n(a) S4C Digital; or\n(b) any television programme service provided in digital form by S4C in fulfilling its public service remit;\n“relevant public service broadcaster” means any of the following—\n(a) a person licensed under Part 1 of the 1990 Act to provide a Channel 3 service;\n(b) the Channel 4 Corporation;\n(c) a person licensed under Part 1 of the 1990 Act to provide Channel 5;\n(d) the BBC;\n(e) S4C;\n(f) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4) An order under subsection (3) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "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)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/55/section/24",
    "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."
  }
}