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1. The Communications Act 2003 required Ofcom to publish a code setting out the obligations of television channels licensed in the UK to provide television access services. Following consultation, Ofcom published the Code in July 2004 ^(-1-), together with an explanatory statement setting out the channels that would be required to provide such services during 2005. A copy of the current version of the Code, incorporating amendments made since the Code was first published, can be found at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/codes/ctas/ctas.pdf.
2. The Code also provides for a mid-year review of the audience share and revenues of UK-licensed television channels, based on data for the previous year. The purposes of the review are to establish whether, in the next calendar year, channels should be:
   1. required to provide television access services;
   2. required to meet a different Level of provision; or
   3. excluded from the requirement to provide television access services.
3. As a result of this review, 76 channels will be required to provide television access services in 2006, as against 70 during 2005. Channels required to provide access services for the first time include ITV 3, UKTV Bright Ideas, UTKV Drama, Ftn, Paramount Comedy 2, TCM, MTV Dance, MTV Base, Discovery Science, Discovery Civilisation, and Discovery Home & Health. A number of channels previously required to provide access services at Levels Two or Three will be required to provide access services at a higher level, including Jetix (formerly Fox Kids), Discovery Real Time (formerly Home & Leisure). A few channels will not be required to provide access services from the end of 2005, including The Hits, Magic TV, Smash Hits, Kiss TV and Kerrang. The outcome of the review is summarised in the table annexed to this statement.
4. A copy of this document in a format suitable for use by screen readers has been posted on Ofcom’s website. Ofcom can also provide documents to individuals inalternative formats (e.g. Braille, audiotape or large print) on request. We may also provide translations of documents into languages other than English. To request non-standard versions of documents, please contact the Ofcom Contact Centre at contact@ofcom.org.uk, by phone at 0845 456 or 020 7981 3554, or by textphone at 0845 456 3003. Please note that the time needed to produce an alternative format document will depend on the length of the document.

Footnotes

1.Code on Television Access Services: Statement by Ofcom, 26 July 2004. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/tv_access_services/statement2/statement.pdf

The full print version is available via the link below

• Television Channels Required to Provide Television Access Services in 2006 [pdf]
  Full print version

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