How radio stations cover election material is regulated by the Broadcasting Services Act and as the election approaches, managers will need to know the rules.

Because the election campaign has not officially begun, then the provisions of the Act do not yet come into place.  When they do, here are the key points you will need to know:

The Australian Communications and Media Authority regulates the broadcasting of political and election matter and the content of electronic communications.

Parts 1 and 2 of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (BSA) contain provisions that deal with access, timing and identification regarding the broadcast of political and election matter.

The rules set out in Parts 1 and 2 of Schedule 2 to the BSA are licence conditions that apply to commercial and community broadcasters. The national broadcasters, SBS and the ABC, have separate requirements under their respective statutes.

Access for all parties

Once a station begins to cover “election matter” then it must “give all parties contesting the election a reasonable opportunity to have election matter broadcast during the election period.”

Advertising Blackout period

A broadcaster must not broadcast an election advertisement from the end of the Wednesday before the polling day until the close of the poll on polling day.

Identifying political matter

When broadcasting political matter at the request of another person, the broadcaster must tag the announcement using a form of words that identify the source of the announcement and are approved by the ACMA.

Keeping records of political matter

Record of the people authorizing political announcements must be kept until six weeks from the date of the broadcast or until the day on which the election ends.

Broadcasters should keep records of political stories in news and current affairs programs and must disclose commercial agreements relating to political matter.

For full details click here.