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Australian Government - Australian Communications and Media Authority

Regional local content protections

Local content requirements for commercial regional radio licensees

Most regional commercial radio licensees must broadcast prescribed amounts of local content ('material of local significance') during daytime hours (5 am to 8 pm) on business days. Additional requirements apply to trigger event affected regional commercial radio licensees.

The local content requirements are contained in the Broadcasting Services (Regional Commercial Radio – Material of Local Significance) Licence Condition 2012 and the Broadcasting (Hours of Local Content) Declaration No. 1 of 2007.

The applicable number of hours is:

  • 30 minutes for small licences (licences which service licence areas with a population of less than 30,000 people); and
  • three hours for all other non-exempt licences.

Important note!

The local content requirements do not apply to:

  • licences allocated under subsection 40(1) of the BSA
  • regional racing service radio licences
  • remote area service radio licences.

Material of local significance

Material of local significance includes material which is hosted in, produced in or relates to the licensee’s licence area (including by having a direct and substantial relationship to the licence area).

Five week exemption period each year

Regional commercial radio licensees are not required to meet the local content requirements during a prescribed 5 week period each year. The five week period commences on the second Monday in December each year (unless the ACMA has specified a different period). Upon request, the ACMA has specified a different exemption period for two licences in the Bathurst RA1 licence area, as contained in the Broadcasting Services (Regional Commercial Radio — Specification of Periods for Subsections 43C(1A) and 61CD(2)) Instrument 2012.

Reporting

Each relevant regional commercial radio licensee must give the ACMA an annual report in writing about the licensee's compliance with the local content licence condition by 30 September of each financial year.

The ACMA has developed a suggested format for annual compliance reports and guidelines for their completion.

Legislation and associated materials:

 

 

Last update: 27 March 2013 12:04