Channel 4 and "schools programmes"

Regis MagnaeRegis Magnae Posts: 6,810
Forum Member
I came across this section of the Communications Act 2003:
296

Schools programmes on Channel 4

(1)The regulatory regime for Channel 4 includes the conditions that OFCOM consider appropriate for securing that what appears to them to be a suitable proportion of the programmes which are included in Channel 4 are schools programmes.

(12)In this section “schools programmes” means programmes which are intended for use in schools.

Does Channel 4 actually have such programmes these days?

Comments

  • davadsdavads Posts: 8,635
    Forum Member
    000Mark000 wrote: »
    Simple answer: Yes.

    Do they?
  • 000Mark000000Mark000 Posts: 422
    Forum Member
    I came across this section of the Communications Act 2003:



    Does Channel 4 actually have such programmes these days?

    Simple answer: Yes.
  • omnidirectionalomnidirectional Posts: 18,796
    Forum Member
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    Yes and No. As of 2010 Channel 4 no longer has to air schools programmes, providing that they continue to make them available online. Technically they still have to air 30 minutes per year, but that's nothing.

    http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/tv/c4/Variation_13.pdf
  • 000Mark000000Mark000 Posts: 422
    Forum Member
    davads wrote: »
    Do they?

    Yes. Otherwise the would be in breach of their licence and, if their licence didn't require them to, their licence would technically be in breach of the legislation.

    They are therefore required to broadcast a minimum or 30 minutes per year.

    There are other licence measures in place to oblige them to produce much more schools programming for delivery by on-line means.
  • Regis MagnaeRegis Magnae Posts: 6,810
    Forum Member
    Thanks for clearing up the little mystery of why I hadn't seen anything resembling a school programme on C4's schedule for years. I wonder if the framers of that legislation had a minimum of 30 minutes in mind. Still, time and technology has marched on.
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,159
    Forum Member
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    Does anyone know what they show for 30 mins per year to meet this condition?

    Also, when do they show it? I suspect it's a bit like Radio 4 who broadcast children's and schools programmes in the middle of the night to meet the requirements of the rights agreements before putting the programmes on-line.
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