Communications Act 2003

290 Proposals for arrangements

(1) An application for a regional Channel 3 licence, in addition to being accompanied by the proposals mentioned in section 15(3)(b) of the 1990 Act, must be accompanied by the applicant’s proposals for participating in networking arrangements.

(2) OFCOM may publish general guidance to applicants for regional Channel 3 licences as to the kinds of proposals which they are likely to consider satisfactory.

(3) The publication of guidance under subsection (2) is to be in such manner as OFCOM consider appropriate.

(4) Arrangements are networking arrangements for the purposes of this Part if they—

(a) apply to all the holders of regional Channel 3 licences;

(b) provide for programmes made, commissioned or acquired by or on behalf of one or more of the holders of such licences to be available for broadcasting in all regional Channel 3 services; and

(c) are made for the purpose of enabling regional Channel 3 services (taken as a whole) to be a nationwide system of services which is able to compete effectively with other television programme services provided in the United Kingdom.