Under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (the Act), all community broadcasting licensees are subject to a licence condition that prevents them from broadcasting advertisements.(1)
However, community broadcasting licensees may broadcast a range of announcements and other promotional material that are not classified as advertising under the Act.
Understanding the difference between permitted promotional material and advertisements is important for community broadcasters. This is because failure to comply will breach a licence condition which carries with it the possibility of serious penalties, including licence suspension and cancellation.
The Authority has developed these guidelines to assist licensees in preparing announcements and other promotional material that comply with the Act.
The guidelines are advisory only and are designed to help licensees to improve current practices. They do not replace the requirements of the Act. If in doubt, licensees should seek independent legal advice on the application of the Act to particular situations.
You can download the guidelines here:
- Community broadcasting sponsorship guidelines (200 kb) or
- Community broadcasting sponsorship guidelines (244 kb)
