Annual notifications
Within three months of the end of each financial year, each commercial television broadcasting licensee, each commercial radio broadcasting licensee and each publisher of an associated newspaper must provide the ACMA with the following information:
- details of persons who were in a position to exercise control of the licence; and
- the name of each person who was a director of the licensee or publisher.
The obligation applies in respect of newspapers that are associated with the licence area or a commercial radio broadcasting licence of a commercial television broadcasting licence. The Broadcasting Services Act 1992 defines 'newspaper' to mean a newspaper that is in the English language, is published on at least four days each week and whose circulation is at least 50 per cent by way of sale. The ACMA maintains a register of associated newspapers.
Notifications of changes in control
Each commercial licensee and publisher of an associated newspaper must notify the ACMA that a person has come to be, or ceased to be, in a position to exercise control of the licence within five days of the licensee becoming aware of the event.
Similarly, a person who has come to be in a position to exercise control of a commercial radio licence, commercial television licence or associated newspaper must notify the ACMA within five days of the licensee becoming aware of the event.
All notifications should be in writing in a form approved by the ACMA (ACMA B2/B3). Notifications can be lodged online via the ACMA’s form lodgement facility.
