Broadcasters accept Digital Replacement Licences

Ofcom has announced that all 18 digital replacement licences (DRLs) offered by Ofcom to the main commercial terrestrial broadcasters have been accepted.

Last month Ofcom published the final DRLs offered to the broadcasters. Sections 215 and 221 of the Communications Act 2003 oblige Ofcom to make an offer of a DRL to Channel 3 licensees, and to the licence holders for the Channel 5 and Public Teletext services to replace their current analogue licences.

As a result of this process, new licences will be issued to the following Channel 3 companies:

· the 11 controlled by ITV plc (i.e. Granada, Carlton, LWT, Central, Westcountry, HTV, Meridian, Border, Anglia, Tyne Tees, Yorkshire)

· the two controlled by SMG (Scottish and Grampian)

· Ulster Television

· Channel TV

· GMTV

The licence holders of the Channel Five and Public Teletext services have also accepted offers of DRLs. A digital replacement licence will be issued to Channel Four as required under the Communications Act.

All DRLs will take effect from 28 December 2004.

The DRLs replace existing analogue broadcasting licences and contain various obligations related to digital switchover, including a target switchover date of 31 December 2012.

The DRLs will become the main new broadcasting licences for Channels 3, 4, 5 and Public Teletext and will contain the key public service requirements set out in their existing analogue licences.

Ofcom consulted on the DRLs in September 2004.
The final DRL offers take account of all comments received. Switchover will take place on a Channel 3 region-by-region basis. The proposed sequence for this process will be published early in 2005 and, after discussion and agreement, Ofcom plans to reflect it in the DRLs which will be varied accordingly.

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