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Communications Act 2003
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Changes to legislation:
Communications Act 2003, Section 336 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 31 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 336:
- s. 148A and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 73(2)
- s. 204A-204C substituted for s. 204-206 by 2024 c. 15 s. 32(2)
- s. 264(10A)(10B) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 1(3)
- s. 270(3)(ca) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(3)
- s. 270(4A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(4)
- s. 270(7A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(7)
- s. 278A inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 10
- s. 351(4)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 58(2)(b)
- s. 351(5)(aa) substituted for s. 351(5)(a) by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 58(3)(a)
- s. 353(4)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 59(2)(b)
- s. 368E(5)(d)(e) inserted by 2017 c. 30 s. 94(3)
- s. 370(13) inserted by 2024 c. 13 Sch. 29 para. 7(2)
- s. 371(13) inserted by 2024 c. 13 Sch. 29 para. 7(3)
- s. 393(5)(t) inserted by 2024 c. 13 Sch. 30 para. 28(b)
- s. 402(2A)(za)(zb) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 2
- Sch. 3A para. 21(6) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(5)(b)
- Sch. 3A para. 37(3)(aza) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(9)
- Sch. 3A para. 84(1)(aza) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(10)
- Sch. 3A para. 103(1)(ca) inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 70
- Sch. 3A para. 119A inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 72
- Sch. 3A Pt. 4ZA inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 67(1)
- Sch. 12 para. 1(15) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 1 para. 1(10)
- Sch. 12 para. 4(2A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 4 para. 52(4)
- Sch. 12 para. 7(14) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 1 para. 2(10)
- Sch. 12 para. 3(6)-(7B) substituted for Sch. 12 para. 3(6)(7) by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 4 para. 51(4)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 148A and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 73(2)
- s. 204A-204C substituted for s. 204-206 by 2024 c. 15 s. 32(2)
- s. 264(10A)(10B) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 1(3)
- s. 270(3)(ca) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(3)
- s. 270(4A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(4)
- s. 270(7A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(7)
- s. 278A inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 10
- s. 351(4)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 58(2)(b)
- s. 351(5)(aa) substituted for s. 351(5)(a) by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 58(3)(a)
- s. 353(4)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 59(2)(b)
- s. 368E(5)(d)(e) inserted by 2017 c. 30 s. 94(3)
- s. 370(13) inserted by 2024 c. 13 Sch. 29 para. 7(2)
- s. 371(13) inserted by 2024 c. 13 Sch. 29 para. 7(3)
- s. 393(5)(t) inserted by 2024 c. 13 Sch. 30 para. 28(b)
- s. 402(2A)(za)(zb) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 2
- Sch. 3A para. 21(6) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(5)(b)
- Sch. 3A para. 37(3)(aza) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(9)
- Sch. 3A para. 84(1)(aza) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(10)
- Sch. 3A para. 103(1)(ca) inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 70
- Sch. 3A para. 119A inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 72
- Sch. 3A Pt. 4ZA inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 67(1)
- Sch. 12 para. 1(15) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 1 para. 1(10)
- Sch. 12 para. 4(2A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 4 para. 52(4)
- Sch. 12 para. 7(14) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 1 para. 2(10)
- Sch. 12 para. 3(6)-(7B) substituted for Sch. 12 para. 3(6)(7) by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 4 para. 51(4)
336Government requirements for licensed servicesU.K.
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes
(1)If it appears to the Secretary of State or any other Minister of the Crown to be appropriate to do so in connection with any of his functions, the Secretary of State or that Minister may at any time by notice require OFCOM to give a direction under subsection (2).
(2)A direction under this subsection is a direction to the holders of the Broadcasting Act licences specified in the notice under subsection (1) to include an announcement so specified in their licensed services.
[F1(3)The direction—
(a)may specify the times at which the announcement is to be broadcast or otherwise transmitted; and
(b)where the announcement relates to an emergency, including a natural disaster, must require the information given in the announcement to be provided in a manner which is accessible to people with disabilities.]
(4)Where the holder of a Broadcasting Act licence includes an announcement in his licensed service in pursuance of a direction under this section, he may announce that he is doing so in pursuance of such a direction.
(5)The Secretary of State may, at any time, by notice require OFCOM to direct the holders of the Broadcasting Act licences specified in the notice to refrain from including in their licensed services any matter, or description of matter, specified in the notice.
(6)Where—
(a)OFCOM have given the holder of a Broadcasting Act licence a direction in accordance with a notice under subsection (5),
(b)in consequence of the revocation by the Secretary of State of such a notice, OFCOM have revoked such a direction, or
(c)such a notice has expired,
the holder of the licence in question may include in the licensed service an announcement of the giving or revocation of the direction or of the expiration of the notice, as the case may be.
(7)OFCOM must comply with every requirement contained in a notice under this section.
(8)The powers conferred by this section are in addition to any powers specifically conferred on the Secretary of State by or under this Act or any other enactment.
(9)In this section “Minister of the Crown” includes the Treasury.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 336(3) substituted (1.11.2020) by The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1062), regs. 1(2), 16 (with Pt. 7)
Commencement Information
I1S. 336 in force at 29.12.2003 by S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)
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