If Media was football and The ACMA the referee, then Radio would be entitled to question the heavy penalty count against it. We have asked that very question, or something like it, on several occasions on this website because Radio seems to be unfairly shackled with a raft of rules and restrictions which do not apply to other media such as Television, Print or Internet. To their credit, The ACMA has been reviewing the Commercial Radio Codes and looks as if they may cut Radio some slack on some of the more onerous local content and ownership rules that were brought in prior to the previous election. But while they deliberate on righting past wrongs as far as those issues are concerned, they have looked to the future by granting fledgling digital stations an exemption (albeit a temporary one) from meeting the 25% Australian music quotas with which their established AM and FM outlets must comply.

ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman says: “In these early days of digital radio, licensees should be afforded the opportunity to experiment with programming formats, including the programming of niche services such as ‘event channels’ like Pink Radio and Radio GaGa.”

The exemption from the Australian music quota will at least lift that restriction from the many that challenge innovation. Also, it puts Digital Radio on par with unrestricted web based stations.

Yet, whatever real benefits the exemption may or may not bring, it is only temporary and The ACMA has given no indication as to when the exemption will be rescinded.

Will it be when the Digital band starts to attract larger audiences who are drawn to formats that would be disrupted if a music quota was suddenly introduced?

Of course, this is not a question that the record industry would lose any sleep over. What will keep them awake though, is the potential loss of opportunity for exposure of their product on a growing medium. You can bet their lobby will be beating a path to the government’s door at the first opportunity. Which could be a good opportunity for Radio – the ones on Digital band at least – to renegotiate the business model for playing Australian music.