On 21 March 2012, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced new Commercial Radio Standards that strengthen the rules on advertising and the disclosure of commercial influence on commercial radio programs. The ACMA reformed the Disclosure and Advertising Standards and chose to revoke the Compliance Program Standard. The ACMA’s reforms to the Disclosure Standard:
- Require disclosure of both presenter agreements with sponsors and licensee agreements (where the presenter has an interest in the licensee company, which in turn has a commercial agreement with a sponsor);
- Allow current affairs presenters more flexibility in how they identify sponsorship arrangements; and
- Change the register and formal notifications process so that industry can keep online registers without the need for formal notices to the ACMA.
The reforms to the Advertising Standard aim to make it clear that advertising must be distinguishable from other program material at the time of broadcast, rather than later in the segment. The Compliance Program Standard, which required commercial radio licensees to undertake compliance education and audits, will be revoked. The Regulation Impact Statement was prepared by the ACMA and assessed as adequate by the Office of Best Practice Regulation.
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