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Section 314: Local news and information in local sound broadcasting services

Communications Act 2003 · 2003 c. 21View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 3: Television and Radio Services ETC — Chapter 4: Regulatory provisions

A local sound broadcasting licence must contain such conditions as OFCOM consider appropriate for—

requiring the licensed local sound broadcasting service to include, and regularly broadcast, programmes that consist of or include local news and information, and
requiring that local news to consist of or include locally-gathered news.

But subsection (1) does not apply in the case of a local sound broadcasting service if OFCOM consider it is appropriate for it not to apply in that case.

OFCOM must—

draw up guidance as to how they consider the providers of local sound broadcasting services may act consistently with conditions contained in licences in accordance with subsection (1); and
have regard to that guidance in carrying out their functions under subsection (1).

The guidance may be different for different descriptions of services.

OFCOM may revise the guidance from time to time.

Before drawing up or revising the guidance, OFCOM must consult—

such persons as appear to them to represent the interests of persons for whom local sound broadcasting services are or would be provided;
persons holding licences to provide local sound broadcasting services or persons appearing to represent such persons, or both; and
such other persons as they consider appropriate.

OFCOM must publish the guidance and every revision of it in such manner as they consider appropriate.

In this section—

References in this section to persons living or working within an area or locality include references to persons undergoing education or training in that area or locality.

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About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.