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15 October 2024 – Ofcom brings Part 5 of the Media Act 2024 into force with Commencement

The Secretary of State of Culture, Media and Sport has made commencement regulations which brought Part 5 of the Media Act 2024 into force on 17 October 2024. Part 5 of the Media Act 2024 regulates commercial radio, amending the rules for both national and local analogue radio, and scaling back the application requirements for local radio licences and multiplex licences.

26 August 2024 – First commencement regulations made under the Media Act issued by the Government

On 15th August 2024, the Government issued “The Media Act 2024 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2024”, bringing into force certain provisions under the Media Act 2024. Whilst the Act received Royal Assent in May prior to the General Election, the majority of its provisions were designed not to commence pending secondary legislation. The Regulations mark the first tranche of such secondary legislation to bring various provisions of the Act into force. These provisions became effective on 26th August.

31 July 2024 – Call for evidence: Listed events - Implementing the Media Act 2024

Ofcom has opened a call for evidence to the public requesting inputs on how to carry out certain changes to the UK’s Listed Events Regime which were proposed in the Media Act. Ofcom has asked for stakeholder input on how to carry out some of its powers to define certain terms in secondary legislation (such as “live coverage”, “adequate live coverage” and “adequate alternative coverage”) and also revise the existing Listed Events Regime Code.

4 June 2024 – The final version of the Media Act is published

On 4th June 2024, His Majesty’s Stationery Office published the final version of the Media Act 2024. Final versions of some associated documents (such as the Explanatory Notes) are expected to be published in the coming weeks. We will update our Media Act Tracker with more information as these documents (as well the outstanding formal scoping measures) are finalised.

24 May 2024 – The Media Bill receives Royal Assent and becomes the Media Act 2024

On Friday 24th May 2024, moments before Parliament was prorogued prior to the upcoming general election, the long-anticipated Media Bill was given Royal Assent and officially became the Media Act 2024. There are some formal steps remaining, with most parts of the Media Act set to come into force on a date to be determined by the Secretary of State (whoever that will be). We will update our Media Act Tracker with more information as these steps are finalised and as Ofcom travels through its “roadmap”.

24 May 2024 – The Media Bill expected to become the Media Act before the general election

After the Prime Minister called a general election on 22^nd May 2024, Parliament was called into action to pass the Media Bill before it is prorogued on 24^th May. The House of Lords discussed their amendments to the Media Bill as part of the Report Stage and 3rd reading on 23^rd May, where the Bill was adopted with only a couple of small amendments pressed by the Opposition and to which the Government acquiesced. The Bill was returned to the Commons on the same day, where the surviving Lords amendments were passed unscathed. The Bill now only awaits Royal Assent to become the Media Act. This is expected to take place today (24^th May).  

4 March 2024 – Ofcom’s roadmap to regulation – a timely reminder that there is a lot more work to be done

As the draft Media Bill continues its legislative journey, Ofcom has issued a timely reminder (in its publication of its “roadmap”) that significant work remains before we know the full extent of many of the Media Bill’s significant provisions.

28 February 2024 – the Bill has its second reading in the House of Lords, where it receives cross-party support. The Bill is now set to be considered by the whole House of Lords during the Committee stage, where a line-by-line evaluation of the Bill will take place.  

31 January 2024 – the current version of the Bill is introduced to the House of Lords.

30 January 2024 – the Bill is considered at the Report stage in the House of Commons, where some non-Governmental amendments are debated but not agreed. The Bill then completes its third reading in the House of Commons.

5-12 December 2023 – the Public Bill Committee considers the Bill over the course of six sittings, and technical Government amendments are made (with no Opposition amendments agreed). The Bill, as amended by the Committee, is published.

21 November 2023 – the Bill has its second reading in the House of Commons.

8 November 2023 – Updated Version of the Media Bill introduced to the House of Commons

On the 8 November 2023, the updated Media Bill is introduced to the House of Commons by the UK Government.

7 November 2023 - King’s Speech confirms the Media Bill

The King’s Speech today has confirmed the Government’s commitment to move forward with comprehensive media reform.

22 September 2023 - DCMS Select Committee publishes its Final Report on the draft Media Bill

The DCMS Select Committee (the “Committee”) published its Final Report on the draft Media Bill (the “Bill”) on 22 September 2023, in which the Committee called on the Government to make several significant changes to the Bill.

20 September 2023 - Consultation on EPG Regulation

On 20 September 2023, Lucy Frazer, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, announced a new consultation on the regulation of additional electronic programme guides, which was published on the same day. The 8-week consultation, which is open until 15 November 2023, is focused on (1) the impact of regulating EPGs, and (2) the proposed approach for defining which EPGs should be regulated - which in turn will impact the services that appear on them (i.e. FAST channels) as channels that appear on regulated EPGs require an Ofcom licence.

21 July 2023 - DCMS Select Committee Report on Draft Media Bill: Radio Measures

On 21 July 2023, the DCMS Select Committee published its report on the radio measures found in the draft Media Bill. The Committee has stated that it was these measures that drew the most contention during the evidence phase of the draft Bill’s pre-legislative scrutiny.

4 July 2023 - The DCMS Select Committee hears oral evidence from Ofcom, Voice of the Listener and Viewer, and representatives of the DCMS

The DCMS Select Committee hears oral evidence from Ofcom, Voice of the Listener and Viewer, and representatives of the DCMS. 

29 June 2023 - The Government releases its Impact Assessments of the draft Media Bill

On 29th June 2023, the Government published its impact assessments on the draft Media Bill. The purpose of the Impact Assessments is to assess the potential effects the draft Media Bill will have on the UK media industry and also the effectiveness of the draft Media Bill in achieving the Government’s policy objectives. 

27 June 2023 – DCMS Select Committee questions Amazon, Netflix, Sky and Google 

On 27 June 2023, as part of the next phase of its pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Media Bill, the DCMS Select Committee called representatives from Amazon, Sky, Netflix, Google, techUK and TuneIn to hear their views on the draft Media Bill.

20 June 2023 - DCMS Select Committee hears oral evidence from the BBC, S4C, MG Alba, Radiocentre and UK Community Radio Network

On 20 June 2023, the DCMS Select Committee heard further oral evidence from the BBC, S4C, MG Alba, Radiocentre and UK Community Radio Network.

6 June 2023 - DCMS Select Committee hears oral evidence from executives at ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5

On 6 June 2023, as part of the next phase of its pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Media Bill, the DCMS Select Committee heard oral evidence from ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

26 May 2023 - DCMS Select Committee publishes written evidence on the draft Media Bill

On 26 May 2023, the DCMS Select Committee published the written evidence submitted by industry stakeholders in response to the draft Media Bill. As part of its pre-legislative scrutiny, the Committee previously opened up the consultation on the draft Media Bill in April, with the deadline for written responses set at 17 May. 

Some of the UK’s (and the wider world’s) most influential media players have submitted their views, analysis, criticisms and praise of the Media Bill’s proposals, demonstrating the keen interest that has been generated by the draft Media Bill. To review the written evidence provided by respondents, click here.

20 April 2023 - DCMS Select Committee invites comments on the draft Media Bill

Following the long-awaited publication of the draft Media Bill on 29 March 2023, the DCMS Select Committee is now entering a consultation period during which it is inviting industry views on the draft Bill as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process. During this process, the Select Committee will examine the policy objectives of the draft Bill, identify any unintended consequences, and issue recommendations on how the draft Bill might be improved.

Accordingly, from now until 17 May 2023, interested parties may submit their positions on the draft Bill to the Select Committee for consideration and review via this link.

29 March 2023 - The Draft Media Bill is officially released by the Government

The Media Bill aims to support the UK’s public service broadcasters to drive skills and growth in the creative sectors. It also looks to streamline and modernise the regulatory framework affecting certain aspects of UK media so that content makers can deliver distinctive, diverse British content across multiple services, and audiences can more easily access and enjoy that content. 

Want to learn about the Draft Media Bill’s journey up to it’s release on 29 March 2023? Check out our Timeline on the CMS Media Bill Tracker Homepage.