Official Gazette Notification Text
Official TranscriptStatus: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2026 No. 715 (C. 61) BROADCASTING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS The Communications Act 2003 (Commencement No. 6) and Media Act 2024 (Commencement No. 4 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 30th June 2026 The Secretary of...
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2026 No. 715 (C. 61) BROADCASTING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS The Communications Act 2003 (Commencement No. 6) and Media Act 2024 (Commencement No. 4 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 30th June 2026 The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 411(2) of the Communications Act 2003(1) and sections 25(6) and 55(3) and (5) of the Media Act 2024(2).
Citation and interpretation
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Communications Act 2003 (Commencement No. 6) and Media Act 2024 (Commencement No. 4 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2026.
(2) In these Regulations— “the 1996 Act” means the Broadcasting Act 1996(3); “the 2024 Act” means the Media Act 2024.
Provisions of the Communications Act 2003 coming into force on 1 January 2027
2. Section 299 of the Communications Act 2003 (categorisation of listed events) comes into force on 1 January 2027, so far as not already in force.
Provisions of the 2024 Act coming into force on 1 January 2027
3. The following provisions of the 2024 Act come into force on 1 January 2027—
(a) section 20 (categories of relevant service), so far as not already in force;
(b) section 21 (contracts relating to coverage of listed events), so far as not already in force;
(c) section 22 (restriction on showing live coverage of listed events), so far as not already in force;
(1) 2003 c. 21.
(2) 2024 c. 15.
(3) 1996 c. 55.Document Generated: 2026-07-02
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
(d) section 25 (sections 20 to 24: further provision), so far as not already in force;
(e) Schedule 2 (Part 1: further amendments), so far as not already in force.
Saving provision
4.—(1) Sections 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103 and 105 of the 1996 Act (sporting and other events of national interest) continue to have effect in relation to a contract entered into before 1 January 2027 and the exercise of rights acquired under such a contract as if the provisions listed in regulation 3 had not been brought into force by these Regulations.
(2) The old section 104 code(4) continues to have effect in relation to a contract entered into before 1 January 2027 and the exercise of rights acquired under such a contract as if the new code drawn up in accordance with section 25(4) of the 2024 Act had not come into force.
Ian Murray Minister of State 30th June 2026 Department for Culture, Media and Sport
(4) The definition of “the old section 104 code” is in section 25(7) of the Media Act 2024.
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Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations bring into force on 1 January 2027 provisions in the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21) (“the 2003 Act”) and the Media Act 2024 (c. 15) (“the 2024 Act”). This is the sixth commencement instrument made under the 2003 Act, and the fourth set of commencement regulations made under the 2024 Act. The provisions being commenced by this instrument primarily concern listed events (for the meaning of “listed event” see section 105(1) of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (c. 55) (“the 1996 Act”)).
Regulation 2 brings into force the remaining parts of section 299 of the 2003 Act, which amend
section 97 of the 1996 Act to provide for the existing concept of “listed events” to be divided into two categories, called “Group A” and “Group B”.
Regulation 3 brings into force provisions in Part 1 of the 2024 Act which update the legislative framework for the listed events regime in Part 4 of the 1996 Act, so far as those provisions have not already been brought into force by the Media Act 2024 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/858).
Regulation 4 makes saving provision in connection with contracts granting rights to show live coverage of listed events entered into before 1 January 2027. This is the date on which section 22 of the 2024 Act and the code drawn up by OFCOM in accordance with subsection (4) of section 25 of the 2024 Act (“the new code”) will take effect.
The saving provision provides that sections 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103 and 105 of the 1996 Act, as they had effect immediately before 1 January 2027, will continue to have effect in relation to contracts entered into before 1 January 2027. The saving provision also provides that the old
section 104 code for the listed events regime, as defined in section 25(7) of the 2024 Act, will continue to have effect in relation to the exercise of any rights acquired under contracts entered into before 1 January 2027, including applications for consent made under section 101(1) of the 1996 Act, as if the new code had not come into force.
An impact assessment has not been published for these Regulations, as they have no impact on the cost to business, the public or voluntary sectors independent of the provisions these Regulations bring into force. A full impact assessment has been published in relation to the 2024 Act and copies can
be obtained from the UK Parliament website at https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3505/publications or from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at 100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ, United Kingdom.
NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT ORDERS (This note is not part of the Regulations) The following provisions of the Communications Act 2003 have been brought into force by commencement order made before the date of these Regulations.
Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Section 1 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 1 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 2 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) 3Document Generated: 2026-07-02
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Section 2 (remaining) 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 3 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 4 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 5 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 5 (remaining) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 6 to 23 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 24 and 25 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 26 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 26 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 27 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 28 to 30 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 31 (partially) 17 July 2003 N/A - Royal Assent
Section 31 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 32 to 55 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 56 to 63 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 56 to 63 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 64 to 119 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 120 to 124 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 125 to 151 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 152 (partially) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 152 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 153 and 154 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 155 to 163 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 164 to 166 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 167 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 168 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 169 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 170 and 171 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 172 to 174 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 175 to 177 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 178 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 179 and 181 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 182 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 183 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) 4Document Generated: 2026-07-02
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Section 184 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 185 to 197 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 198 to 230 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 231 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 231 (partially) 10 December 2004 2004/3309 (C. 150) Sections 231 (remaining) 28 December 2004 2004/3309 (C. 150) Sections 232 to 252 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 253 2 January 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 254 to 263 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 264 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 265 to 270 28 December 2004 2004/3309 (C. 150)
Section 271 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 272 to 273 31 January 2010 2009/2130 (C. 94) Sections 275 to 277 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 278 1 July 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/545 (C. 21))
Section 279 to 281 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 282 12 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 283 to 298 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 299 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/1492 (C.
60)) Sections 301 to 337 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 338 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 339 to 347 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 348 (partially) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 348 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 349 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 350 (partially) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 350 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 351 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 351 (remaining) 1 July 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/545 (C. 21))
Section 352 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 353 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) 5Document Generated: 2026-07-02
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Section 353 (remaining) 1 July 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/545 (C. 21)) Sections 354 to 359 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 360 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 360 (partially) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 360 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 361 and 362 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 363 to 366 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/697 (C. 28))
Section 367 (partially) 9 March 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/697 (C. 28))
Section 367 (remaining) 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/697 (C. 28))
Section 368 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/697 (C. 28))
Section 369 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 369 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 370 and 371 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Sections 372 to 392 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Sections 393 and 394 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
(partially) Sections 393 and 394 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
(remaining) Sections 395 to 399 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 400 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 401 3 November 2017 2017/1063 (C. 100) Sections 402 to 404 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 405 17 July 2003 N/A - Royal Assent
Section 406 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 406 (partially) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 406 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 406 (partially) 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125)
Section 407 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 408 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 410 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77)
Section 411 17 July 2003 N/A - Royal Assent Schedule 1 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) 6Document Generated: 2026-07-02
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Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Schedule 1 (remaining) 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 2 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Schedule 3 and 4 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Schedule 5 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 7 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 8 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Schedules 9 to 11 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 12 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 12 (partially) 1 July 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) (as amended by 2004/545 (C. 21)) Schedule 13 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 14 (partially) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Schedule 14 (partially) 12 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 14 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 15 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Schedule 15 (partially) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Schedule 15 (remaining) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 16 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedules 17 to 19 (partially) 25 July 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Schedules 17 to 19 (partially) 18 September 2003 2003/1900 (C. 77) Schedules 17 to 19 (partially) 29 December 2003 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 17 (partially) 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 18 (remaining) 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) Schedule 19 (partially) 1 April 2004 2003/3142 (C. 125) NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT REGULATIONS (This note is not part of the Regulations) The following provisions of the Media Act 2024 have been brought into force by commencement regulations made before the date of these Regulations.
Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Section 1 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 1 (remaining) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50)
Section 2 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50) Sections 3 to 5 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Sections 3 to 5 (remaining) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50) 7Document Generated: 2026-07-02
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Sections 6 and 7 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50)
Section 8 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 8 (partially) 1 October 2025 2025/1049 (C. 50)
Section 8 (remaining) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50)
Section 9 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 9 (remaining) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50)
Section 10 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50) Sections 11 to 15 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Sections 11 to 15 (remaining) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50)
Section 16 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 17 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50)
Section 18 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 19 (partially) 17 October 2024 2024/1033 (C. 70)
Section 19 (remaining) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50) Sections 20 to 22 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Sections 23 and 24 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 25 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Sections 26 and 27 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 28 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 29 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 30 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 30 (remaining) 1 October 2025 2025/1049 (C. 50)
Section 31 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 32 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50) Sections 33 to 40 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Sections 41 to 43 17 October 2024 2024/1033 (C. 70)
Section 44 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
Section 44 (remaining) 17 October 2024 2024/1033 (C. 70) Sections 45 to 47 17 October 2024 2024/1033 (C. 70)
Section 48 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Sections 49 and 51 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Schedule 1 (partially) 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Schedule 1 (remaining) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50) 8Document Generated: 2026-07-02
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Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Schedule 2 (partially) 23 August 2024(5) 2024/858 (C. 55) Schedule 2 (partially) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50) Schedule 3 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55) Schedule 4 (partially) 23 August 2024(6) 2024/858 (C. 55) Schedule 4 (partially) 1 January 2026 2025/1049 (C. 50) Schedules 5 to 12 23 August 2024 2024/858 (C. 55)
(5) Regulation 4 of S.I. 2024/858 (C. 55) provides that certain provisions of Schedule 2 come into force on the date that certain provisions of the Communications Act 2003 come into force.
(6) Regulation 4 of S.I. 2024/858 (C. 55) provides that certain provisions of Schedule 4 come into force on the date that certain provisions of the Communications Act 2003 come into force.
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