One of the ACMA's objectives is to promote the role of broadcasting in developing and reflecting a sense of Australian identity character and cultural diversity.
Australian content for commercial free-to-air television
Australian content on commercial television is regulated by mandatory standards: Australian Content Standard (ACS) and Television Program Standard 23 – Australian Content in Advertising.
The ACS requires all commercial free-to-air television licensees to broadcast an annual minimum transmission quota of 55 per cent Australian programming between 6am and midnight. In addition there are specific minimum annual sub-quotas for Australian (adult) drama, documentary and children’s programs.
Australian content standard
The current Australian Content Standard 2005 came into effect on 30 December 2005. The ACS requires all commercial free-to-air television licensees to broadcast an annual minimum transmission quota of 55 per cent Australian programming between 6am and midnight. In addition there are specific minimum annual sub-quotas for Australian (adult) drama, documentary and children’s programs.
Related pages and documents
- Children's Television Standards page
- Definition of documentary
- Australian drama: format factors and licence fees
- Explanatory notes for content standard
- Compliance results
2009 variation to the Australian Content Standard
As a result of changes to the Children’s Television Standards (CTS) following a review, the ACMA has varied the ACS to ensure that references to the CTS within the ACS are correct. The 2009 variation came into effect on 1 January 2010. Electronic versions of the 2009 variation and its Explanatory Statement are available below:
- Broadcasting Services (Australian Content) Standard Variation 2009 (No. 1)
- Broadcasting Services (Australian Content) Standard Variation 2009 (No. 1) – Explanatory Statement
The ACMA invited comment on the proposed variation by 31 October 2008. No submissions were received.
2010 variation to the Australian Content Standard
As a result of changes incurred to television licensees by the Television Licence Fees Amendment Regulations 2010 (No. 1), the ACMA varied the ACS. This was a technical amendment to the ACS to allow newer licences commencing part way through a reporting period to pro-rata their content quota obligations. Prior to this amendment, the ACS did not accommodate newer licensees which have not been able to broadcast their full quota due to not being on air for all of the relevant period. Licensees commencing a commercial television broadcasting service on or after 2 January in a year now have yearly and triennial quotas readjusted proportionate to the time that those licensees actually broadcast.
The 2010 variation came into effect on 27 November 2010.
Electronic versions of the 2010 variation and its Explanatory Statement are available below:
- Broadcasting Services (Australian Content) Standard Variation 2010 (No. 1)
- Broadcasting Services (Australian Content) Standard Variation 2010 (No. 1) – Explanatory Statement
The ACMA invited comment on the proposed variation (Broadcasting Services (Australian Content) Standard Variation 2010) by 22 October 2010. No submissions were received.
Australian content in advertising standard
The standard for Australian Content in Advertising requires at least 80 per cent of advertising time broadcast each year by commercial free-to-air television licensees, between the hours of 6am and midnight, to be used for Australian produced advertisements.
