New guidelines for religious ownership issued by Radio Authority

101/03

16 September 2003

New guidelines for religious ownership issued by Radio Authority

The Radio Authority announced today (16 September) that it has issued new guidelines for religious ownership of Independent Radio licences to take account of the early commencement of the new provisions in the Communications Act which liberalise the rules on religious ownership.

A religious body is now able to apply for Digital Sound Programme Service Licences and Digital Additional Service Licences. Previously, such bodies were disqualified from applying for these licences under the provisions of the 1990 Broadcasting Act.

The new Communications Act, which received Royal Assent on 17 July 2003, sets out the types of licences that religious bodies are disqualified from holding. These include Independent National (analogue) Radio licences, and National and Local Digital Multiplex licences.

The Authority's new Guidelines for Religious Ownership are available here. Hard copies are available from the Authority's Press & Information Office.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

The relevant sections of the Communications Act which apply to religious ownership are section 348 (modification of disqualification provisions), and paragraph 4 of Schedule 14 of the Communications Act (approval required for religious bodies to hold licences).
Bodies who are providing a sound programme on a digital radio multiplex are required to hold a Radio Authority Digital Sound Programme Service Licence.
Digital additional services are services other than technical, programme or ancillary services and include text or data services such as paging, videotext and graphics which are not directly related to programming.
The Radio Authority is responsible for licensing and regulating Independent Radio in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996. It plans frequencies, awards licences, regulates programming and advertising, and plays an active role in the discussion and formulation of policies which affect the Independent Radio industry and its listeners.
At the end of this year, the Radio Authority will cease to exist, and its responsibilities for licensing and regulating Independent Radio will pass to Ofcom, the new converged regulator for the communications sector. See the Ofcom transitional website at www.ofcom.org.uk for more details.

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