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Broadcasting (Public Service Content) Bill 2008-09

Type of Bill:
Private Members' Bill (Presentation Bill)
Sponsor:
Mr Christopher Chope

Progress of the Bill

Bill started in the House of Commons

  1. House of Commons
    1. 1st reading
    2. 2nd reading
    3. Committee stage
    4. Report stage
    5. 3rd reading
  2. House of Lords
    1. 1st reading
    2. 2nd reading
    3. Committee stage
    4. Report stage
    5. 3rd reading
  3. Consideration of Amendments
  4. Royal Assent

Last event

Latest Bill

House Bill Date
Commons Bill as introduced | PDF version, 74KB 08.06.2009

Latest news on the Bill

This Bill was on the Order Paper 16 October, to resume the adjourned Second Reading from 12 June, but there was not enough time for debate on that day.

This Bill was on the Order Paper for a Second Reading on several Fridays before being dropped by its sponsor, Mr Christopher Chope.

Summary of the Bill

The Bill provides a definition of public service content for the purposes of public service broadcasting. Its provisions would require that no licence fee revenue would be paid for BBC services failing to meet this definition.

Key areas

  • Defines public service content in terms of: impartial, factual and objective news or current affairs; children’s programming; charitable or religious programming; or content unlikely to be supplied by the market
  • Gives the National Audit Office a role in determining whether market failure exists in relation to some broadcasting content
  • Requires all public service content to meet prevailing standards of good taste and decency
  • Repeals section 264 of the Communications Act 2003 which provides for Ofcom having to periodically report on the state of public service television broadcasting
  • Prevents licence fee revenue being paid to the BBC for services not meeting the definition of public service content
  • Gives the National Audit Office a duty to keep under review, and to conduct a value for money audit of the total cost of public service television broadcasting.

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Related information

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