Southern Community Media Association, Regional Rural and Sub Metro Community Broadcasters

ACMA Media Release 142/2007 – 23 November

Community Broadcasting Sponsorship Guidelines Released for Comment

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is seeking industry comment on Draft Community Broadcasting Sponsorship Guidelines.

In an environment where the sector is testing new business models to improve its viability, it has been looking to ACMA to provide greater clarity and guidance.

Based on an analysis of ACMA investigations into community broadcasting issues in the five years from 2002-03 to 2006-07, it was evident that the main areas of concern include the following:

what constitutes an advertisement
what constitutes a sponsorship announcement and should therefore be included in the calculation of the 5-minute limit for radio or 7-minute limit for television
material that may be an accidental or incidental accompaniment to the broadcast of other matter and therefore not considered an advertisement
what constitutes a promotion of a licensee’s service or a program
material broadcast as part of a program that may be considered advertising
a licensee’s responsibility for material broadcast despite having sold air time, including sponsorship slots, to programs providers.

These areas have specifically been addressed in revising the sponsorship guidelines, which provide a more detailed document to better meet their needs.

Comments marked ‘Community Sponsorship Guidelines’ are to be provided by 1 March 2008 to the Manager, Investigations Section, Australian Communications & Media Authority, at:

PO Box Q500
Queen Victoria Building
SYDNEY NSW 1230
Fax: (02) 9334 7799
Email: broadcasting@acma.gov.au

The draft community broadcasting sponsorship guidelines are available on the ACMA website.

Media contact: Donald Robertson, ACMA Media Manager (02) 9334 7980.