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Broadcasting (Religious Programming) Bill

This is the text of the Broadcasting (Religious Programming) Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 13th July 1999.

 
 
  
Broadcasting (Religious Programming) Bill
 
 
 
 
ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES
Clause 
1.Removal of restrictions on religious bodies.
2.Codes of guidance and rules in relation to licensed broadcast services.
3.Short title.
 

 

 
 
A

B I L L

TO

Remove restrictions on the ownership by religious bodies of broadcasting licences and to clarify the role of the Radio Authority and the Independent Television Commission in relation to the religious content of programmes.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-
 

Removal of restrictions on religious bodies.     1. The Broadcasting Act 1990 is amended, by inserting at the end of sub-paragraph (1)(a) of paragraph 2 of Part II of Schedule 2 (which sets out who shall be disqualified from holding a broadcasting licence) the words "and which practices or advocates illegal acts or has rites or other forms of collective observance which members of the public may not attend or observe;".
 
Codes of guidance and rules in relation to licensed broadcast services.     2. The Independent Television Commission and the Radio Authority shall before 1st January 2000 review and where necessary amend any code of guidance or rules under sections 6 to 9 or 91 to 93 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 so as to ensure that-
 
 
    (a) they apply equally to programmes and advertisements of a religious nature as they apply to other programmes and advertisements;
 
    (b) no provision is thereby applied to any programme or advertisement solely because of its religious nature;
 
    (c) no provision is thereby made which, although it does not refer to religion, would have the effect of imposing requirements on programmes and advertisements of a religious nature which do not apply to other programmes and advertisements;
 
    (d) no requirement is thereby imposed only in relation to religious programmes which exceeds the requirements under section 6(1)(d) or 90(2)(c) of the Act;
 
    (e) no provision is thereby made which prevents the broadcast of-
 
      (i) any appeal for funds to make a programme of a religious nature,
 
      (ii) any appeal for funds which are to be applied to a religious purpose, or
 
      (iii) any programme which is intended to recruit members to a religious faith or denomination.
Short title.     3. This Act may be cited as the Broadcasting (Religious Programming) Act 1999.
 
 

 
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