Navigating The Way Towards EPG Reform

The Department for Culture Media and Sport has published a consultation on the possibility of amending some areas of broadcasting regulations, including:

• the "must offer/must carry" rules under the Communications Act 2003;
• section 73 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998;
• the Technical Platform Service Rules; and
• Ofcom's EFG code, made under section 310 of the Communications Act 2003.

This article will focus on the EPG Code but for more details on the other areas of the consultation, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-balance-of-payments-between-television-platforms-and-public-service-broadcasters-consultation-paper.

Electronic Programme Guides ("EPG"s) provide users of television and radio with regularly updated menus displaying broadcast  programming or scheduling information for past, current and future programming, together with access to these programmes.  The EPG information is transmitted as a broadcast