The changes to the law that applies to broadcasting after Brexit – the Broadcasting (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 – are now in force.
These changes include that any TV service that appears on a ‘Regulated EPG’ needs to be licensed and regulated in the UK.
The exceptions to this are TV channels from countries party to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television (ECTT), as well as the following Irish channels: TG4, RTÉ1 and RTÉ2.
What is a Regulated EPG?
Broadly speaking, an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) is a service that consists of the listing or promotion of programmes or programme services and provides access to them. The full definition is in section 310(8) of the Communications Act 2003.
Any EPG being provided by a provider that held a Television Licensable Content Service (TLCS) or Digital Television Additional Service (DTAS) licence for it immediately before the end of the transition period has now become a ‘Regulated EPG’.
List of Regulated EPGs
Below we have listed the services that are Regulated EPGs.
| Licence number | Licensee name | Service name |
|---|---|---|
| DTAS000044 | Everyone TV Limited | EPG (Various) |
| TLCS101213 | Everyone TV Limited | Enhanced IP metadata for the DTT broadcast EPG |
| TLCS001298 | Everyone TV Devices Limited | Freesat |
| TLCS100216 | Everyone TV Devices Limited | Freeview HD/Freetime |
| TLCS000243 | Sky UK Limited | Sky Electronic Programme Guide |
| TLCS000919 | Virgin Media Limited | Virgin Media EPG |
| TLCS001758 | YouView TV Limited | YouView Electronic Programme Guide |