Page:Broadcasting Act 19810068 en.pdf/59

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Broadcasting Act 1981
c. 68
55

The paged version of this document contained the following header content in the margin: Part III

(6) Where,in the case of a complaint, the relevant programme was broadcast within five years after the death of the person affected, subsection (5) shall apply as if at the end there were added " within five years after the death of the person affected ".

(7) The Commission may refuse to entertain—

(a) a complaint of unjust or unfair treatment if the person named as the person affected was not himself the subject of the treatment complained of and it appears to the Commission that he did not have a sufficiently direct interest in the subject-matter thereof to justify the making of a complaint with him as the person affected; or

(b) a complaint made under subsection (3) by a person other than the person affected or a person authorised by him, if it appears to the Commission that the complainant's connection with the person affected is not sufficiently close to justify the making of the complaint by him.

Consideration of complaints

56.—(1) Subject to the provisions of section 55, every complaint made to the Commission shall be considered by them of complaints. either at a hearing or, if they think fit, without a hearing.

(2) Hearings under this section shall be held in private; and where such a hearing is held in respect of a complaint, each of the following persons shall be given an opportunity to attend and be heard, namely—

(a) the complainant;

(b) the broadcasting body by whom the relevant programme was broadcast; and

(c) any person not within paragraph (a) or (b) who appears to the Commission to have been responsible for the making or provision of that programme.

(3) Before they proceed to consider a complaint the Commission shall send a copy of it to the broadcasting body by whom the relevant programme was broadcast.

(4) Where a broadcasting body receive from the Commission of a copy of a complaint, it shall be the duty of that body, if so required by the Commission—

(a) to make suitable arrangements for enabling the complainant and any member or officer of the Commission to view or hear the relevant programme, or any specified part of it, if and so far as that body have in their possession a visual or sound record of it;