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Department for Culture Media and Sport

broadcasting

We work closely with regulators, broadcasters, the professional broadcasting equipment and consumer electronics industries, viewers and listeners to increase choice, ensure healthy competition and maintain programme standards and quality.

Our role

We:

• are responsible for policy on public service broadcasting
• review the Royal Charter which governs the BBC and set the licence fee
• are the parent department of the Office of Communications (Ofcom), the media and communications regulator
• look after policy on the allocation of TV and radio frequencies (in liaison with Ofcom, which manages frequencies)
• are responsible for a successful digital TV switchover 
• established the Digital Switchover Help Scheme
• are responsible for delivering the Digital Radio Action Plan Programme, which seeks to inform a potential switchover to digital radio
• are responsible for the broadcasting side of the consumer electronics sector, such as television sets and digital radios (but not mobile devices)
• support local news and programming, which helps foster communities and contributes to local economies

We also represent the public interest in media sector mergers (including those involving broadcasters), and we work closely with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills who sponsor the wider consumer electronics sector.  

We do not get involved in complaints about individual programmes or schedules. These are handled by independent regulators.