The associated newspaper register (the Register) assists the ACMA in monitoring compliance with the media control rules in the Broadcasting Services Act.
The associated newspaper register is updated as required.
The Act defines 'newspaper' at Section 6:
'Newspaper' means a newspaper that is in the English language and is published on at least 4 days in each week, but does not include a publication if less than 50 per cent of its circulation is by way of sale.
In addition, section 59 of the Act sets out the criteria for a newspaper's inclusion in the Register.
Criteria relating to commercial television broadcasting licence areas:
If the ACMA is satisfied that at least 50 per cent of the circulation of a newspaper is within the licence area of a commercial television broadcasting licence, the ACMA is to enter the name of the newspaper in the Register in relation to that licence area. Similarly, if the ACMA is satisfied that less than 50 per cent of the circulation of a newspaper that is entered in the Register in relation to a commercial television broadcasting licence is within the licence area of that licence, the ACMA is to remove the name of the newspaper from the Register in relation to that licence area.
Criteria relating to commercial radio broadcasting licence areas:
The 50 per cent criteria as shown above also apply to commercial radio licence broadcasting areas. However, for commercial radio there is an additional requirement for inclusion in the Register. The ACMA must be satisfied that firstly, at least 50 per cent of the circulation of a newspaper is within the licence area of a commercial radio broadcasting licence, and secondly a newspaper's circulation must cover at least 2 per cent of the licence area population of the commercial radio broadcasting licence area. Similarly, if less than 50 per cent of the circulation of a newspaper that is entered in the Register is within a commercial radio licence area and/or that newspaper's circulation covers less than 2 per cent of the population of the commercial radio licence area, then the ACMA is to remove the name of the newspaper from the Register in relation to that commercial radio broadcasting licence area.
In July 2010 the ACMA completed a comprehensive review of the Register based on the 2006 census population data and the ACMA’s recently revised Broadcasting Services Act 1992 Section 30 Schedule of licence area populations.
