• Australian Communications and Media Authority (the ACMA)

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09 December 2010ACMA is proposing to amend the anti-terrorism standards that apply to open and subscription narrowcasting services following an investigation into the content of Al-Manar Television.

Al-Manar Television is an Arabic language service that originates from Lebanon and is received in Australia via satellite on a fortuitous basis. It is regarded as an open narrowcasting television service by the ACMA.

The ACMA found the licensee of Al-Manar Television, Lebanese Communication Group, breached the Open Narrowcast Television Codes of Practice 2009 (the open narrowcast codes).

The ACMA found the broadcast of the current affairs program, With the Viewers, on 15 November 2009, was in breach of clause 1.2 of the codes, as the program was not presented fairly. The ACMA also found the broadcast of the current affairs program, With the Event, on 28 February 2009, was in breach of clause 1.3 of the codes, as the program was likely to gratuitously vilify a group on the basis of ethnicity and religion.

The ACMA Investigation Report – Al-Manar Television Programming 2010 contains the ACMA’s full response and findings against the terms of reference for the investigation published earlier in the year.

Further, and as a consequence of broader consideration of significant materials reviewed during the investigation, the ACMA concluded that the open narrowcast codes were not operating to provide appropriate community safeguards. It is proposing to amend the anti-terrorism standards to include specific provisions for prohibiting the broadcast of content that, if classified, would be refused classification (RC) because it advocates the doing of a terrorist act.

As the proposed amendment would be consistent with an existing provision in the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, it would better align the regulation of broadcast content with content published elsewhere, including online.

The ACMA is seeking public comment on its proposal to amend the anti-terrorism standards. The closing date for comments is 12 February 2010.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact: Donald Robertson, Media Manager, on (02) 9334 7980, 0418 86 1766 or media@acma.gov.au.