Update on implementing the Media Act

The Media Act 2024 introduced new rules relating to the prominence of public service content on designated connected TV platforms, and the accessibility of these platforms. Today we have launched a consultation which sets out our proposals for a code of practice that explains how providers of designated connected TV platforms can meet their new prominence and accessibility duties, and guidance on how designated platform providers and public service broadcasters (PSBs) can comply with their new duties when entering into arrangements with each other.  

This follows our report to the Secretary of State on which connected TV platforms we recommend to be designated, published in December. It is now for the Secretary of State to designate the platforms in scope of the new regulations.

In our implementation of the Media Act, since July 2025 we have also published:

• Draft recommendations to the Secretary of State on the designation of Radio Selection Services – consultation on this closed in December.
• A review of Audience Protection Measures on On-Demand Programme Services, alongside commissioned research.
• A statement and final Guidance for Channel 4 Corporation’s Statement of Commissioning Policy
• A statement on local commercial radio licence renewals.
• A statement on updating the quotas framework which applies to Public Service Broadcasters.
• A consultation on digital radio multiplex information requirements.

So far this Summer we have published three consultations as part of our ongoing work to implement the Media Act. 

Today we have published a consultation on local news and information on analogue commercial radio. We are consulting on our approach to implementing new requirements the Media Act brings in to ensure regular broadcasting of local news and information on local analogue commercial radio stations.

In June we launched consultations to progress implementation of two more Parts of the Media Act:

• Under Part 3, we are consulting on guidance for Channel 4 Corporation’s (‘C4C’) Statement of Commissioning Policy. The Media Act introduces new commissioning duties for C4C, and a requirement to prepare a Statement of Commissioning Policy (‘SoCP’). This comes as the ‘publisher-broadcaster’ restriction is removed and C4C will be able to make content for its own main channel for the first time. We are consulting on our guidance, which C4C must have regard to in preparing its SoCP. 

• As part of implementing provisions under Part 1B, and following a Call for Evidence last year, we have launched a consultation on our proposals for implementing the Media Act’s changes to the listed events regime. We are consulting on regulations defining certain terms used in the regime (“live coverage”, “adequate live coverage”, and “adequate alternative coverage”), and also on revising the Code on listed events.

As part of our implementation of changes introduced by Part 4A of the Media Act, on 30^th May we delivered our report on the operation of the market in the UK for ODPS and non-UK ODPS to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State is required to take account of this report before making regulations to provide that an ODPS, or a non-UK ODPS, becomes a Tier 1 service. Those services will be subject to new standards to help protect UK audiences and, requirements to provide subtitling, signing and audio description. We published a fuller update here.

22 July 2025 update

Today we have published four more documents as part of our work to implement the Media Act 2024.

We have published our provisional view of the television selection services (‘TSS’) we propose should be designated under Part 2 of the Media Act. TSS that are designated by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will be required to ensure designated Public Service Broadcaster (‘PSB’) TV players and their content are available, prominent, and easily accessible on their service.

We have also published our final decisions in three other areas of our Media Act implementation work:

The PSB TV players which will benefit from the new availability and prominence regime will be designated by Ofcom. Our statement on Designation of Public Service Broadcasters' Internet Programme Services (‘IPS’) sets out the methods we will use in determining which PSB TV players (or ‘IPS’) should be designated. BBC iPlayer will be automatically designated.

As a result of changes the Media Act makes to the PSB regulatory framework, we have also updated:

our guidance for PSBs for producing their commissioning Codes of Practice. This reflects changes that mean PSBs will now be able to use their on-demand players to meet quotas, including their independent production quotas.
Our guidance to licenced PSBs about preparing their Statement of Programme Policy. The Media Act gives the PSBs more flexibility in how they deliver their remits, these documents are where the PSBs explain how they are fulfilling their remit.

This spring we have published three documents as part of our ongoing work to implement the Media Act.

We are consulting on our proposals to update PSB quotas, as the Media Act allows the PSBs, for the first time, to use their on-demand services (in addition to their linear services) to meet their quotas for original, regional and independent production. Our consultation includes proposals to convert proportional quotas to absolute numbers, as the new framework means the way quotas are set must be revised to reflect that they can now be met through provision of on-demand content.

Following consultation earlier this year, we have also published our statement on the principles and methods we will use in making our recommendations to the Secretary of State on the designation of ‘radio selection services’ (RSS). Under Part 6 of the Media Act, designated RSS must comply with new rules that aim to protect the availability of UK radio on connected audio devices.

Similarly to the above, Part 2 of the Media Act requires us to make recommendations to the Secretary of State on designation of ‘television selection services’ (TSS). These are the connected TV platforms which will be subject to new requirements to ensure prominence of PSBs on-demand players and public service content. In April, we published our statement on the principles and methods we will use in making our recommendations.

In the last month we have published four consultations, as we continue to implement the new provisions in the Media Act 2024.

The Act introduces a new a new prominence and availability regime which will require certain connected TV platforms to ensure that the Public Service Broadcasters’ (PSBs) on-demand apps, and their public service content are available, prominent, and easily accessible. In return for these new benefits, PSBs must ensure that their designated apps make a significant contribution to the fulfilment of their individual public service remits. As part of ensuring transparency in how the PSBs plan to deliver this, the Act requires them to, in their annual Statements of Programme Policy, identify each service’s contribution to meeting their obligations.

Today we have launched two consultations as the first step to implementing these new requirements:

• We are consulting on updating our guidance to the licensed PSBs on the range of information provided in their Statements of Programme Policy, and Channel 4 in its Statements of Media Content Policy.
• We have also published a consultation on our proposals on implementation of the designation process for the PSB’s on-demand apps.

We are also currently consulting on our revised guidance for PSBs on their Commissioning Codes of Practice.

PSBs are required to have a Code which they follow when commissioning independent productions and which reflects Ofcom’s Guidance. We are proposing to revise this guidance to reflect the updated regulatory PSB framework brought in under the Act.

Last week we published our consultation on the principles and methods we propose to use in making recommendations to the Secretary of State for designated radio selection services.

The Act introduces for the first time a set of rules which aim to protect the availability of UK radio on connected audio devices. It brings into regulation certain voice-activated online services known under the Act as radio selection services (RSS), which have been designated by the Secretary of State. Our first role relevant to these new regulations is to provide the Secretary of State with a report making recommendations about which radio selection services should be designated. The consultation sets out our proposals for the principles and methods we will use to arrive at those recommendations.

We have published two consultations as we begin to implement new laws under the Media Act 2024.

These new laws are designed to protect public service broadcasting while fostering innovation, so that UK audiences can enjoy the services, video and programmes they love.

We are implementing the new rules as quickly as possible, in line with our roadmap, in a way that is fair, proportionate and effective.

Consultation on our approach to making recommendations on Designation of Television Selection Services

Public service broadcasters provide trusted and accurate news and a diverse range of high-quality content for UK audiences, so it is critical that viewers can easily find and discover what they offer.

The Media Act 2024 introduced a new online availability and prominence regime for PSB TV apps – such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 stream, My5, STV player, S4C Clic - distributed on connected TV platforms. Specifically, the regime requires those services, designated by the Secretary of State, to ensure that designated PSB TV apps and their content are available, prominent, and easily accessible. While BBC iPlayer will be automatically designated, we will designate the other PSB TV apps.

We must provide a report to the Secretary of State setting out our recommendations on the designation of television selection services. We must first publish a statement of principles and methods outlining the approach that we will use in setting out our recommendations. We are seeking views on such principles and methods that we intend to follow in preparing our report.

In 2025, we will consult on our actual recommendations on the designation of TV platforms, before submitting our final report to the Secretary of State. 

Local commercial radio licence renewals

We are also consulting on new provisions introduced by the Media Act for local commercial radio licence renewals.

The changes offer a new route for all licence holders to apply to have their licences renewed, including those who were previously unable to do. Specifically, this now means that a licensee can apply for renewal if there is not a ‘suitable’ DAB multiplex available.

The consultation sets out how we propose to decide whether a multiplex is ‘suitable’.

We welcome responses to both consultations by 5pm on 5 February 2025.

The Secretary of State of Culture, Media and Sport has made commencement regulations which bring Part 5 of the Media Act 2024 into force, as well as a section of Part 1 to allow for our preparatory work on PSB reform.

Part 5 contains a number of provisions relating to how commercial radio is regulated. Commencement of Part 5 allows us to continue our plans for implementation, including:

• Consulting on new local news and information requirements for analogue commercial radio stations, while retaining current requirements in the meantime.
• Removing requirements from analogue licences relating to music and locally-made programming.
• Consulting on new requirements on DAB multiplex providers to publish information about payments radio stations make for carriage.
• Ending the need for DAB multiplex providers to ask Ofcom for permission to add or remove digital radio stations.