Channel 5 Licence - Ofcom Licensing

Annex to Channel 5
Licence
Channel 5 DRL
The Channel 5 Service
Annex: Part 1 Provision and content of the Channel 5 Service
1. Definitions and interpretation
2. Independent productions
3. Original productions
4. News
5. Current affairs
In the following paragraphs unless the context otherwise requires:
“hours/minutes” refers to the number of hours/minutes per calendar
year or per week averaged over a calendar year that would be
transmitted, measured in “slot times” (that is, including advertising
breaks, programme trailers and presentation material during and at the
end of programmes);
The Licensee shall ensure that in each calendar year not less than 25
per cent (or such other percentage which the Secretary of State may
from time to time by order specify) of the total amount of time allocated to
the broadcasting of Qualifying Programmes in the Channel 5 Service is
allocated to the broadcasting of a range and diversity of independent
productions. The range must be in terms of the cost and types of
programmes. For these purposes, the reference to a range of
Independent productions shall be interpreted in accordance with Section
277 of the Communications Act.
At least 51 per cent by time of the programmes included in the Licensed
Service in each calendar year shall be originally produced or
commissioned for the Channel 5 Service, increasing by two percentage
points each year to not less than 60 per cent in 2009 and subsequent
years. At least 42 per cent of programmes in peak viewing time shall be
originally produced or commissioned for the Channel 5 Service.
Not less than 408 hours in each calendar year of the Licensing Period of
news programmes shall be included in the Channel 5 service between 6
am and midnight and 100 hours in each calendar year in peak viewing
time. Such news programmes shall be of high quality and deal with both
national and international matters. News programmes shall be provided
at intervals during the day – at least one programme at lunchtimes, one
in the early evening, one in the mid-evening and headlines at other times
each day except on Sunday when no mid-evening programme is
required.
Not less than 130 hours in each calendar year of the Licensing Period of
current affairs programmes which are of high quality and deal with
national and international matters shall be included in the Channel 5
service of which 10 hours in each calendar year shall be in peak viewing