The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2010
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | SI 2010/419 |
2010 No. 419
Electronic Communications
The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2010
Made 22th February 2010
Laid before Parliament 25th February 2010
Coming into force 18th March 2010
These Regulations are made by the Secretary of State, being a Minister designated1for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 19722in relation to information society services, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) of that Act.
Citation, commencement and interpretation
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2010 and come into force on 18th March 2010.
(2) In these Regulations “the 2003 Act” means the Communications Act 20033.
Amendments of Part 4A of the Communications Act 2003: on-demand programme services
Part 4A of the 2003 Act is amended as follows.
2. Part 4A of the 2003 Act is amended as follows.
3. In section 368B—
(1) In subsection (1) for “(8)” substitute “(9)”, and
(2) In subsection (6), for “(4)(b)(iii)” substitute “(5)(b)(iii)”.
4. After section 368B (the appropriate regulatory authority) insert—
“Notification by providers(368BA) Advance notification to appropriate regulatory authority(1) A person must not provide an on-demand programme service unless, before beginning to provide it, that person has given a notification to the appropriate regulatory authority of the person’s intention to provide that service.(2) A person who has given a notification for the purposes of subsection (1) must, before—(a) providing the notified service with any significant differences; or(b) ceasing to provide it,give a notification to the appropriate regulatory authority of the differences or (as the case may be) of an intention to cease to provide the service.(3) A notification for the purposes of this section must—(a) be sent to the appropriate regulatory authority in such manner as the authority may require; and(b) contain all such information as the authority may require.(368BB) Enforcement of section 368BA(1) Where the appropriate regulatory authority determine that the provider of an on-demand programme service has contravened section 368BA, they may do one or both of the following—(a) give the provider an enforcement notification under this section;(b) impose a penalty on the provider in accordance with section 368J.(2) The appropriate regulatory authority must not make a determination as mentioned in subsection (1) unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that a contravention of section 368BA has occurred and they have allowed the provider an opportunity to make representations about that apparent contravention.(3) An enforcement notification under this section is a notification which specifies the determination made as mentioned in subsection (1) and imposes a requirement on the provider to take all such steps for remedying the contravention of section 368BA as may be specified in the notification.(4) An enforcement notification must—(a) include reasons for the appropriate regulatory authority’s decision to give the enforcement notification, and(b) fix a reasonable period for taking the steps required by the notification.(5) It is the duty of a person to whom an enforcement notification has been given to comply with it.(6) That duty is enforceable in civil proceedings by the appropriate regulatory authority—(a) for an injunction;(b) for specific performance of a statutory duty under section 45 of the Court of Session Act 1988; or(c) for any other appropriate remedy or relief.”
5. In section 368D(3) (duties of service providers)
(1) Before paragraph (a) insert—
“(za)
“(za) pay to the appropriate regulatory authority such fee as that authority may require under section 368NA;
(zb)
(zb) retain a copy of every programme included in the service for at least forty-two days after the day on which the programme ceases to be available for viewing;”
(2) After subsection (3) insert—
“3A A copy of a programme retained for the purposes of subsection (3)(zb) must be of a standard and in a format which allows the programme to be viewed as it was made available for viewing.”
6. In section 368G(2) for “prescription,only” substitute for “prescription-only”.
7. In section 368J(1) (financial penalties) after “section” insert “ 368BB or”.
8.—(1) Section 368K(1) (suspension or restriction of service for contraventions) is amended as follows.
(2) In paragraph (a) after “section” insert “368BA or ”.
(3) In paragraph (b) —
(a)
(a) after the first “section” insert “ 368BA or ”;
(b)
(b) after “368D” insert “ (as the case may be)”;
(c)
(c) after the second “section” insert “368BB or ”.
9. After section 368N (enforcement of directions under section 368K or 368L) insert—
“Fees(368NA) Fees(1) In this section “the authority” means each of these—(a) the appropriate regulatory authority;(b) (where they are not the appropriate regulatory authority) OFCOM.(2) The authority may require a provider of an on-demand programme service to pay them a fee.(3) The authority must be satisfied that the amount of any fee required under subsection (2)—(a) represents the appropriate contribution of the provider towards meeting the likely costs described in subsection (5)(a), and(b) is justifiable and proportionate having regard to the provider who will be required to pay it and the functions in respect of which it is imposed.(4) A different fee may be required in relation to different cases or circumstances.(5) The authority must, for each financial year—(a) prepare such estimate as it is practicable for them to make of the likely costs of carrying out the relevant functions during that year;(b) ensure that the aggregate amount of the fees that are required to be paid to them under subsection (2) during that year is sufficient to enable them to meet, but not exceed, the costs estimated under paragraph (a);(c) consult in such manner as they consider appropriate the providers likely to be required to pay them a fee under subsection (2) during that year;(d) publish in such manner as they consider appropriate the amount of the fees they will require providers to pay to them under subsection (2) during that year.(6) As soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the financial year, the authority must publish a statement setting out, for that year—(a) the aggregate amount received by them during that year in respect of fees required to be paid under subsection (2);(b) the aggregate amount outstanding and likely to be paid or recovered in respect of fees that were required to be so paid under subsection (2); and(c) the costs to them of carrying out the relevant functions during that year.(7) Any deficit or surplus shown (after applying this subsection for all previous years) by a statement under subsection (6) is to be—(a) carried forward; and(b) taken into account in determining what is required to satisfy the requirement imposed by virtue of subsection (5)(b) in relation to the following year.(8) The authority may repay to a person some or all of a fee paid to them by a person under subsection (2) if—(a) that person has ceased to provide an on-demand programme service at some time during the period to which the fee relates;(b) before ceasing to provide that service, that person gave the appropriate regulatory authority a notification under section 368BA(2); and(c) that person did not cease to provide the service following a direction given by the appropriate regulatory authority under section 368K or 368L.(9) The authority may make arrangements with any body designated under section 368B for that body to provide the authority with assistance in connection with the collection or repayment of fees required by them under this section.(10) For the purposes of this section—(a) the authority’s costs of carrying out the relevant functions during a financial year include their costs of preparing to carry...
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