Singapore legislation

Section 31

of Broadcasting Act 1994

Section 31

Declared foreign broadcasting services

(1)

The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, declare any foreign broadcasting service rebroadcast in Singapore on any relevant licensable broadcasting service to be a foreign broadcasting service engaging in the domestic politics of Singapore.

(2)

A person must not, without the prior approval of the Minister, include any declared foreign broadcasting service for rebroadcast in Singapore on any relevant licensable broadcasting service.

(3)

The Minister may —

(a)

grant his or her approval under subsection (2) subject to any conditions that he or she thinks fit;

(b)

refuse to grant his or her approval; or

(c)

revoke his or her approval at any time without giving any reason.

(4)

Without limiting subsection (3), the Minister may, in imposing conditions under that subsection, specify that —

(a)

the number of persons capable of receiving any declared foreign broadcasting service rebroadcast in Singapore on any relevant licensable broadcasting service must be restricted in any manner that the Minister may direct; and

(b)

the rebroadcast of any declared foreign broadcasting service on any relevant licensable broadcasting service in Singapore must be suspended for any period that the Minister may direct.

(5)

Any person who contravenes subsection (2) or fails to comply with any condition imposed under subsection (3)(a) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $100,000.

(6)

In this section —

Definition

“foreign broadcasting service” means —

(a)

any broadcasting service transmitting from a place outside Singapore; or

(b)

any broadcasting service transmitting from a place in Singapore but which is owned, controlled or managed by or on behalf of —

(i)

the government of a country outside Singapore or the agent of that government, whether resident in Singapore or otherwise;

(ii)

any company, association or society incorporated or constituted under any law in force outside Singapore, whether or not it has a branch office or place of business in Singapore; or

(iii)

any person who is not a citizen of Singapore, whether or not he or she is resident in Singapore;

Definition

“relevant licensable broadcasting service” means a licensable broadcasting service specified in the first column of the Third Schedule provided by a person specified in the second column of that Schedule opposite the licensable broadcasting service.

Read in full context — Broadcasting Act 1994 →