The Multiplex Licence (Broadcasting of Programmes in Gaelic) Order 1996

Statutory Instruments

1996 No. 2758

BROADCASTING

The Multiplex Licence (Broadcasting of Programmes in Gaelic) Order 1996

Made

30th October 1996

Laid before Parliament

30th October 1996

Coming into force

20th November 1996

The Secretary of State in exercise of the powers conferred on her by sections 32(1) and (2) of the Broadcasting Act 1996(1)and of all other powers enabling her in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Multiplex Licence (Broadcasting of Programmes in Gaelic) Order 1996 and shall come into force on 20th November 1996.

(2) In this Order “the Act” means the Broadcasting Act 1996.

Condition of licence

2.  The Commission shall include in the multiplex licence granted in respect of the frequency on which digital capacity is reserved for the broadcasting of Channel 5 in digital form and of S4C Digital, being a frequency to which section 28 of the Act applies, a condition requiring the holder of the licence, when broadcasting programmes for reception wholly or mainly in Scotland, to broadcast programmes in Gaelic for at least 30 minutes per day between 1800 hours and 2230 hours.

Minimum transmission time of programmes provided by suppliers

3.  In complying with the condition specified in article 2, the holder of the licence shall broadcast programmes in Gaelic supplied by each of the persons mentioned in section 32(4)(a) and (c) of the Act amounting to at least 30 hours of transmission time per year in relation to each such person.

Virginia Bottomley

Secretary of State for National Heritage

30th October 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Part I of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (“the Act”) provides for licensing digital television programme services and, in particular, for licensing the provision of “multiplex services”, as defined in section 1 of the Act, by means of which such programme services are broadcast. This Order requires the Independent Television Commission to include in the multiplex licence under which Channel 5 and S4C Digital are to be broadcast a condition requiring the holder to broadcast at least 30 minutes of Gaelic programming every day in Scotland during peak evening viewing time.

The Order also requires the licence holder, in complying with this condition, to broadcast at least 30 hours of Gaelic programmes per year supplied by each of the persons mentioned in section 32(4)(a) and (c) of the Act, that is the BBC and, currently, Scottish Television and Grampian Television.

(1)

1996 c. 55.