Media Bill clears House of Lords; awaits Royal Assent
The Media Bill has successfully passed through the House of Lords, receiving the green light on Thursday. The bill, now poised for Royal Assent, could take several more months before broadcasters can start reaping its benefits.
Key elements of the bill include significant changes for both television and radio broadcasters. For television, the bill introduces an Ofcom-regulated video-on-demand code that will apply to major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. These platforms will be subject to editorial standards akin to those that protect audiences from harmful content on broadcast TV.
The bill also seeks to amend and simplify the requirements for public service broadcasters, allowing them to focus more on producing high-quality programming that serves their audiences. Additionally, new rules will ensure that public service content is available, prominent, and easily accessible on connected TV platforms, including smart TVs and streaming sticks.
Channel 4 stands to benefit significantly from the bill, gaining the ability to produce and monetize more of its own programming.
For radio stations, the bill heralds sweeping changes. Local commercial radio stations will be able to drop all local programming and change their music formats with ease while maintaining free access to smart speaker platforms. Multiplex operators will gain the ability to change stations without needing approval, and Ofcom will work on introducing a new requirement for ‘locally gathered’ news on local radio.
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Despite initial discontent in the House of Lords over the proposal to repeal section 40—opposed by many media outlets but seen as crucial to the system of press regulation proposed by Sir Brian Leveson—the media bill managed to clear these hurdles. Section 40 had been a contentious part of the bill, with its repeal seen as pivotal by proponents of the new regulatory framework.
There were concerns that some of the bills debated in parliament might not make it into law now that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a general election. However, the Media Bill has emerged as a clear pass, moving steadily towards becoming law.
The upcoming royal assent will finalise the bill’s passage, ushering in a new era of regulatory standards and operational freedoms for both television and radio broadcasters.
