Communications Act 2003

Public service remits of the Welsh Authority services

3 (1) It shall be the duty of the Welsh Authority to secure that the public service remits for each of their public television services is fulfilled.

(2) The public service remit for S4C is the provision of a broad range of high quality and diverse programming in a service in which—

(a) a substantial proportion of the programmes consists of programmes in Welsh;

(b) the programmes broadcast for viewing between 6:30 PM and 10:00 PM on every day of the week consist mainly of programmes in Welsh; and

(c) the programmes that are not in Welsh are normally programmes which are being, have been or are to be broadcast on Channel 4.

(3) The public service remit for S4C Digital is the provision of a broad range of high quality and diverse programming in a service in which a substantial proportion of the programmes consists of programmes in Welsh.

(4) The public service remit for a television programme service provided by the Welsh Authority with the approval of the Secretary of State under section 205 is the remit set out in the order approving the provision of the service.

(5) The Secretary of State may by order modify sub-paragraphs (2) and (3).

(6) Before making an order specifying or modifying the public service remit for any of the Welsh Authority’s public television services, the Secretary of State must consult—

(a) the Authority; and

(b) where the order relates to the inclusion in any service of programmes that are not in Welsh, C4C.

(7) An order modifying the public service remit for S4C or S4C Digital must not contain provision inconsistent with a requirement that each service must—

(a) represent a public service for the dissemination of information, education and entertainment; and

(b) include programmes a substantial proportion of which consists of programmes in Welsh.

(8) No order is to be made containing provision authorised by sub-paragraph (5) unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.