Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture,
Media and Sport)(): The Media Act 2024 -
which received royal assent on 24 May 2024 - introduces a new
online prominence regime. This regime will require particular TV
platforms (referred to in the Act as “regulated television
selection services”) to give prominence to designated PSB
services (referred to as “designated internet programme
services”).
Today the Government has laid the first statutory instrument
which will start the implementation process of this new regime.
In particular, these regulations specify which categories of TV
devices are to be considered as “internet television equipment”
for the purposes of this new prominence framework. This is the
first step required to start the designation process.
The next step is for a further set of regulations to be
developed, following advice from Ofcom, and establishing which
television selection services – used in conjunction with internet
television equipment – should be regulated under the new
prominence regime.
The purpose of this approach is to ensure regulation is both
targeted and proportionate, and, in particular, that only those
devices used by a significant number of UK viewers as a main way
of accessing TV will be captured.
The regulations laid today specify smart TVs and streaming
devices, including set-top boxes and streaming sticks, as
internet television equipment.
However, the Government recognises that, as viewing habits change
and new technology emerges, the devices considered internet
television equipment may change in the future. Therefore, we will
review the list a year after implementation to ensure it remains
fit-for-purpose.
The Internet Television
Equipment Regulations 2024(opens in a new tab) have been
published on legislation.gov.uk and an accompanying policy
statement(opens in a new tab) has been published on GOV.UK.
