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Govt finally realises ACMA needs new powers

The Federal Government is finally waking up to the fact that the media watchdog is too limited in its powers.

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What on earth has taken them so long?

The Federal Government is finally waking up to the fact that the media watchdog is too limited in its powers.

Earlier this week the Australian Communications and Media Authority took the unusual step of a Press Conference for its outcome in the Kyle Sandilands / 2DAY FM case, with Chairman Chris Chapman noting it could take no action against the talent, only the license holder under current regulations.

ACMA has also previously said it cannot fine license holders, only accept enforceable undertakings (which it has previously done with the Nine Network).

Senator Conroy has now said, “The ACMA has a gap in its regulatory armoury, and the convergence review is talking about possible extra powers for ACMA, so instead of just having the slap on the wrist or closing down the station there are what you’d call mid-tier powers.

“Fines would fall into that category. I’d give that serious consideration.”

Serious action is preferred, Senator.

Source: Yahoo

11 Responses

  1. @Qubec – It wasn’t Stephen Conroy who demolished the media watchdog. That was done by the Libs pandering to their media-owner mates (read donors). Whatever happened to the advertising limits per hour (for a start)?
    Get the old ABCB rule book out of the archives and reinstate it.

  2. Yeah. No one like their bottom line hit. Maybe a cease in broadcasting would be better. Ratings would be affected. and advertisers would have to pull the rug. Pain all round – See how long they keep Sandilands around for if the station had to close for a month after each of his little stunts

  3. Well, yes indeed. And as well as the ideas below I’d like to see, just for starters:
    1- increased Australian content.
    2- reintroduction of advertisement regulation including volume levels.
    3- rules preventing cross-promotion and advertorials in ‘news’ & ‘current affairs’ programs.
    But it won’t happen. Big business and the media barons run this country – nay the world – so I’ll only believe it when I see squadrons of pigs in perfect formation wheeling slowly overhead.

    ps – yep, a great pic David, you must have been freeze-framing for an hour before you found that one!

  4. In the Kyle Sandilands / 2DAY FM case, they should have the power to fine the station up to 1 million dollars, and ban Kyle from being on any radio or TV station in Australia for life.

  5. Conroy has to be one of the most inept ministers in this current government… And that’s saying something! How has it taken this long to realize that ACMA are a useless organization? How about a group who can fine networks, keep them in line, force them to promote and keep to specific times and stop networks stepping all over their audience! I’d love to believe change will occur, but it seems so unlikely

  7. About bloody time! I’d also like the stations to be punished for repeatedly starting and/or finishing programs later than advertised. Should be covered under the provisions of misleading and deceptive conduct in the “Competition and Consumer Act 2010”.

    If they want to start a program at 8:44 then that is what they have to advertise the start time as. Not just in a recently updated guide, also in all of their promo material.

    It’s prob a forlorn hope given that they can’t even properly punish behaviour as reprehensible as Mr Sandiland’s vile rhetoric, but it’s something to work toward.

    Great pic btw.

  8. @David, you have a gift for choosing the best photos. I have an overwhelming desire to pop a ping pong ball into Mr. Conroy’s mouth as his head moves from side to side.

  10. I want to see starting times included in the code and ACMA able to fine networks for running shows overtime. I recently got a response back from Seven about a complaint and they said starting times isn’t part of the code but they “try to keep programs not running more than 10 minutes late….” I was shocked by this statement. Why not try and run programs On time??? To me that sounds like they are deliberately running programs 9 minutes late, because they can. ACMA needs to stop this deliberate practice.

  11. Go back to the old Australian Broadcasting Control Board days. TVT6 put off-air for 24 hrs for exceeding advertising limits. Others fined a day ad revenue for other breaches. It had some teeth, unlike the useless ACMA we have now.

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