Virginia Bottomley, the National Heritage Secretary, yesterday announced that an amendment to the broadcasting bill would be introduced which will prevent satellite broadcasters uplinking illegal or politically controversial material. It was feared that the UK was becoming a haven for satellite broadcasters to places such as the Middle East.
Under existing legislation the Independent Television Commission only has powers to regulate channels which are up-linked from the UK which go to Europe; the new bill will extend ITC powers. Anyone up-linking any station from the UK will in the future be subject to the ITC’s regulation, and if the signal is found to be carrying politically controversial material, for example, the ITC will have the power to ban the channel.
The broadcasting bill is due to be debated in the House of Commons on 2 April.
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