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Broadcasting Act 1981

The Broadcasting Act 1981 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The effect of the Act was to consolidate the previous Independent Broadcasting Acts 1973, 1974 and 1978 and the Broadcasting Act 1980. The act was repealed by the Broadcasting Act 1990. It was under this act that the Sinn Féin broadcast ban from 1988 to 1994 was originally implemented.

Last revised
Jun 21, 2026
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≈ 2 min
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Citations
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Source
Broadcasting Act 1981a
Act of Parliament
coat of arms
Long titleAn Act to consolidate the Independent Broadcasting Authority Acts 1973, 1974 and 1978 and the Broadcasting Act 1980.
Citation1981 c. 68
Territorial extent United Kingdomb
Dates
Royal assent30 October 1981
Commencement1 January 1982c
Repealed1 January 1991d
Other legislation
AmendsSee § Repealed enactments
Repeals/revokesSee § Repealed enactments
Repealed byBroadcasting Act 1990
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Broadcasting Act 1981 (c. 68) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The effect of the Act was to consolidate the previous Independent Broadcasting Acts 1973, 1974 and 1978 and the Broadcasting Act 1980.1 The act was repealed by the Broadcasting Act 1990.2 It was under this act (and the BBC Licence and Agreement) that the Sinn Féin broadcast ban from 1988 to 1994 was originally implemented.34

Provisions

Repealed enactments

Section 65(4) of the act repealed 7 enactments, listed in schedule 9 to the act.5

Enactments repealed by section 65(4)
Citation Short title Extent of repeal
1973 c. 19 Independent Broadcasting Authority Act 1973 The whole act.
1973 c. 65 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 In Part II of Schedule 27, paragraph 207.
1974 c. 16 Independent Broadcasting Authority Act 1974 The whole act.
1975 c. 71 Employment Protection Act 1975 In Part IV of Schedule 16, paragraph 15.
1978 c. 43 Independent Broadcasting Authority Act 1978 The whole act.
1980 c. 64 Broadcasting Act 1980 The whole act.
1981 c. 38 British Telecommunications Act 1981 In Schedule 3, paragraph 56.

Subsequent developments

The whole act was repealed by section 203(3) of, and schedule 21 to, the Broadcasting Act 1990, which came into force on 1 January 1991.6

Notes

Notes

  1. Section 66(1).
  2. Section 66(2).
  3. Section 66(4).
  4. The Broadcasting Act 1990 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions) Order 1990 (SI 1990/2347).
References

References

  1. "PDF file from Legislation.gov.uk" (PDF). Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  2. "Ofcom ITC note". Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  3. Eldridge, John Eric Thomas; Philo, Greg (1995). Glasgow Media Group Reader: Industry, Economy, War and Politics. Vol. 2. Psychology Press. p. 48.
  4. Welch, Francis (5 April 2005). "The 'broadcast ban' on Sinn Féin". BBC News.
  5. "Broadcasting Act 1981", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1981 c. 68
  6. "Broadcasting Act 1990", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1990 c. 42
External links