United Kingdom: Opened consultation on inquiry into regulation of Electronic Programme Guides regarding broadcast licenses

On 20 September 2023, the UK Department for Culture, Media, and Sport opened a consultation, until 15 November 2023, on proposals for the regulation of Electronic Programme Guides (EPGs) regarding broadcast licenses. Currently, only specific EPGs are regulated, while numerous unregulated EPGs, many of which are accessed via the internet, have emerged, creating a regulatory gap. The government is concerned about the potential harm to viewers as unregulated channels may show inappropriate content without oversight. Specifically, the government is considering expanding the regulation of EPGs in the UK, and one of the criteria for regulation is that EPGs and channels would be required to secure a broadcast license through Ofcom if they meet the regulatory criteria. This criteria is set in the form of audience reach threshold. The first option proposed in this context aligns with currently regulated EPGs and suggests an average monthly audience reach threshold of 3.25 million or more, approximately 5% of the total number of UK television households. The second option proposed aligns with currently regulated channels and proposes a lower threshold of an average monthly audience reach of 500'000 or more.