Media Bill completes Lords committee stage

The aim of the Media Bill is to update the existing legislative framework on broadcasting governance following the UK's exit from the EU and to address technological changes, such as the rise of on-demand services.

The bill also seeks to provide for the sustainability of Channel 4 and regulate the powers, remit and audit of Welsh language channel S4C.

Line by line examination  

Committee stage is a thorough examination of the individual parts (clauses) of the bill. 

Starting from the front of the bill, members work through the clauses in order, considering changes (amendments) to the wording or proposals for new clauses. 

Proposed changes

Committee stage took place over three days between 8 and 22 May.

Members speaking on the final day of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill on a range of subjects including:

• requirements for locally-made programming on local radio
• impartiality on radio services
• right of reply against news publishers.

Catch up

• Watch the Parliament TV recording.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Explore further information

Find out more about the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Next steps

Two final stages will take place on Thursday 23 May ahead of the dissolution of Parliament before the 2024 general election:

• Report stage, a further chance to examine the bill and make changes.
• Third reading, a chance to tidy up the text of the bill.

How to follow

• Watch live on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

What's happened so far?

Committee stage day two: Monday 20 May

Members speaking on day two of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill on subjects including:

• the amount of programming made outside London and across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
• rights to footage of listed events such as a clip of the Olympic Games
• on-demand coverage of major sporting events.

Catch up

• Watch the Parliament TV recordings.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcripts.

Committee stage day one: Wednesday 8 May

Members speaking on day one of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill on subjects including:

• the quality and standards of public service broadcasting
• audio-visual content for minority and regional languages.

Catch up

• Watch the Parliament TV recordings - part one and part two.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcripts - part one and part two.

Second reading 

Second reading, a full debate on the key principles of the bill, took place on Wednesday 28 February. 

Image: Nicolas J Leclercq / Unsplash