Broadcasting

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) manages its broadcasting roles through a multi-faceted approach that combines licensing, the enforcement of codes of practice, imposing content obligations, and handling public complaints.

Here is a detailed breakdown of how ACMA manages broadcasting in Australia:

1. Licensing and Planning

At the core of broadcasting management is control over who is allowed to broadcast. ACMA is responsible for

• Planning Licence Areas: It designs licence area plans for radio across the country, determining the number and types of services (commercial, community, national) available in specific geographic regions.

• Issuing and Renewing Licences: ACMA allocates new broadcasting licences when they become available, often through a competitive process like an auction for commercial licences. It also manages the renewal process for existing licences, assessing whether the broadcaster has met its obligations.

• Maintaining a Register: It keeps a public register of all licensed broadcasting services in Australia.

2. Content Regulation via Codes of Practice

ACMA doesn't typically pre-vet or censor content before it goes to air. Instead, it uses a co-regulatory model where industry bodies develop Codes of Practice in consultation with ACMA. ACMA then registers and enforces these codes.

Key areas covered by these codes include:

• News and Current Affairs: Rules requiring that news is presented accurately and impartially, with a fair representation of viewpoints.

• Classification: Guidelines ensuring that content is broadcast at appropriate times. For example, programs classified M (Mature) or MA15+ (Mature Accompanied) are restricted to later time slots to protect children.

• Advertising Standards: This includes the total amount of advertising permitted per hour and specific rules around advertising to children, such as prohibiting ads during preschool programs. There are also codes for advertising sensitive products like alcohol and gambling.

• Privacy: Rules about how broadcasters can report on individuals and their private lives.

• Safeguards for Children: Regulations that aim to protect children from potentially harmful or unsuitable content.

If a broadcaster breaches a registered code, ACMA has the power to investigate and take enforcement action, which can range from a formal warning to imposing financial penalties or adding new conditions to their licence.

3. Enforcing Australian Content Obligations

To foster a culturally relevant media landscape, ACMA enforces specific rules that require commercial free-to-air television broadcasters to air a certain amount of Australian programming. These are known as content quotas and include:

• Overall Quota: A general requirement for 55% of content broadcast between 6 am and midnight to be Australian.

• Sub-quotas: Specific minimum annual hour requirements for first-run Australian drama, documentaries, and children's programs.

ACMA monitors compliance with these quotas, and broadcasters must submit annual reports demonstrating they have met their obligations.

4. Complaint Handling

ACMA provides a formal channel for the public to lodge complaints about broadcasting content. The process generally works as follows:

If you see a news article that you think is biased, you can report it to ACMA.  However, as a first step, you must follow the following process: 

1. Complaint to the Broadcaster: A viewer or listener must first make a written complaint directly to the television or radio station involved, giving them an opportunity to respond.

2. Escalation to ACMA: If the complainant does not receive a response from the broadcaster within 60 days, or if they are not satisfied with the response, they can then forward the complaint to ACMA for investigation.

3. ACMA Investigation: ACMA will assess the complaint against the relevant broadcasting code of practice or licence condition. If a breach is found, ACMA will determine the appropriate enforcement action.

This system ensures that broadcasters are accountable to their audiences while ACMA acts as an independent arbiter for resolving disputes.

In summary, ACMA manages broadcasting not by dictating specific content, but by setting a regulatory framework through licensing, codes of practice, and content quotas. This allows broadcasters creative freedom while ensuring they remain accountable to the public and operate within established community standards.