Report.

• Australia Communication and Media Authority

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14 November 2011

ACMA has suggested reforms to the three commercial radio standards dealing with advertising, commercial influence and compliance programs.The Australian Communications and Media Authority (the ACMA) has conducted a wide-ranging, evidence-based review of the three commercial radio standards dealingwith advertising, commercial influence and compliance programs. The aim of the review was to ensure that regulation of commercial radio in these areas continues to deliver appropriate and contemporary community safeguards. 

Taking into account the substantive research conducted for the review and the submissions made to the review—by the commercial radio industry, the advertising industry, public interest advocacy groups and individual citizens—the ACMA has decided to:

• Regulate advertising on commercial radio through a program standard with new elements that more effectively promote community standards and provide more stable and predictable regulation—until such time as the commercial radio industry has in place an appropriate code of practice dealing with advertising.
• Regulate commercial influence on commercial radio through a program standard based on a disclosure model, with new elements to more effectively promote community standards and provide adequate community safeguards as well as reduce the financial and administrative burdens on licensees.
•  No longer regulate compliance with regulatory obligations through a program standard, but rely on existing provisions of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992(the Act) to deal with breaches on an individual licensee basis to reduce the regulatory, financial and administrative burdens on licensees.

These reforms are seen by the ACMA as the best regulatory outcomes given the importance citizens place on commercial radio services for the provision of information and entertainment and the influence these services have in the community.