TV broadcast licensing monthly updates

On the first Tuesday of every month, we publish a round-up of recent licensing activity on broadcast TV stations - this includes new licensed services, transfers and name changes, as well as any other relevant information.

October 2018

Variation fees

Ofcom has made changes to how it applies fees when applications to vary television licences are received. Previously, some applications were subject to a £1,000 fee. This fee mostly affected Digital TV Programme Service (‘DTPS’) and Digital TV Additional Service (‘DTAS’) licence holders applying to vary their licence, and Local TV (‘L-DTPS’) licence holders applying to amend their Programming Commitments. Ofcom will no longer charge this £1,000 variation fee.

Television services licensed in this period

Licence Type

Licensee

Service Name

DTPS

Information TV Limited

CLTV

TLCS

BBC Studios Distribution Limited

BBC First Poland

Full contact details (by channel name) are available on Ofcom’s website under Ofcom Licensing / Television Broadcast Licensing.

Television services that have ceased to be licensed (handed back or revoked) in this period

The following services are no longer licensed.

The relevant licence is either:

  • no longer required by the licensee so has been handed back, or the service has been removed from a licence covering multiple services, or;
  • revoked as a matter of routine (usually for non-payment of the annual licence fee).
  • the licensee ceases to exist (has been liquidated or become dissolved)

Licence Type

Licensee

Service Name

TLCS

Discovery Corporate Services Limited

ID Investigation Discovery (EMEA) (HD)

TLCS

Discovery Corporate Services Limited

Discovery Channel (Croatian Feed) (HD)

TLCS

Discovery Corporate Services Limited

TLC (Croatian Feed) (HD)

TLCS

Global Music Television Limited

Heart TV

TLCS

Global Music Television Limited

Capital TV

DTPS

Global Music Television Limited

Capital TV

DTPS

Global Music Television Limited

Heart TV

Ofcom can also revoke licences for a number of reasons relating to the conditions of the licence. In such cases, Ofcom will normally publish a statement setting out the reasons for the revocation.

Licence transfers

The following licences have been transferred to a new company who is now the legal licensee.

Licence Type

Previous Licensee

New Licensee

Service Name

TLCS

Open Heavens Media Limited

Fame TV Limited

Fame TV

DTPS

CBS AMC Networks UK Channels Partnership

Freesports Limited

The Store

Service Name Changes

The following licensees have changed the name of their service.

Licence Type

Licensee

Previous Service Name

New Service Name

TLCS

Sky UK Limited

Sky Sci-Fi

Sky Cinema Halloween

TLCS

Sky UK Limited

Sky Cinema Westerns

Sky Cinema Select

TLCS

Sky UK Limited

Sky Sports Ryder Cup

Sky Sports Golf

TLCS

Sky UK Limited

Sky Sports Ryder CUP (ROI feed)

Sky Sports Golf (ROI Feed)

TLCS

Sky UK Limited

Sky Cinema Greats

Sky Cinema Superhero

TLCS

Sky UK Limited

Sky Cinema Hits

Sky Cinema Spooky

TLCS

MG Global Entertainment (Europe) Limited

XXX Booty

XXX Cougars

TLCS

Nickelodeon U.K. Limited

Nick Jr too

Nick Jr. Peppa

TLCS

Nickelodeon U.K. Limited

Nick Jr. too (ROI feed)

Nick Jr. Peppa (ROI feed)

TLCS

NBCUniversal International Networks Limited

Movies 24

Christmas 24

TLCS

NBCUniversal International Networks Limited

Movies 24+

Christmas 24+

TLCS - Television Licensable Content Service Licence

DTPS – Digital Television Programme Services Licence

L-DTPS – Local Digital Television Programme Services Licence

PSDTPS – Public Service Digital Television Programme Services Licence

Older information is available at the National Archives.

See also...

TV broadcast licences

See broadcasting codes and other guidance notes.

Look up TV broadcast licensees

06 August 2018

Ofcom is responsible for licensing all UK commercial television services. This section contains information for licensees, including guidance notes and updates, as well as application forms and a list of current Ofcom TV broadcast licensees. This section highlights our current licensees

Spectrum information

06 August 2018

Information on the radio spectrum, including the UK Frequency Allocation Table, broadcast transmitter guidance and interface requirements.

Multiplex licensees

06 August 2018

Ofcom is responsible for licensing all UK commercial television services. This section contains information for licensees, including guidance notes and updates, as well as application forms and a list of current Ofcom TV broadcast licensees. This section covers multiplex licence and Licence holders for the digital television terrestrial platform.

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