About our investigations

We publish our investigation reports to explain:

if there is a complaint, what it is about
when it happened
the relevant rules
what we found when we investigated

For lists of older reports, consult our Annual reports available on the Analysis & Policy Observatory website. Each quarter, we also publish a summary of actions we have taken on broadcasting.

To access older investigation reports please contact broadcasting@acma.gov.au.

Search investigations

Year

Issue

Tobacco advertising

Findings

Breach of paragraph 10(1)(a) of Schedule 2 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992

(ref: BI-761)

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docx

BI-761 Investigation report: Foxtel Cable Television Pty Ltd [docx, 194.8 KB]

Issue

Accuracy and impartiality

Findings

Breach of impartiality

No Breach of accuracy

of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Code of Practice 2024

(ref: BI-753)

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pdf

BI-753 Investigation report: Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ABC] [pdf, 7.57 MB]

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pdf

ABC submissions to the ACMA [pdf, 189.19 KB]

Issue

Captioning

Findings

No finding in relation to subsection 130ZZA(4) in Part 9D of the BSA [which requires a commercial television licensee to comply with the Standard]

Breach of paragraph 130ZZD(2)(b) of the BSA [make audio-visual records sufficient to enable the responsible person’s compliance with Division 4 and 5 to be readily ascertained].

Breach of paragraph 7(1)(o) of Schedule 2 to the BSA [licence condition requiring compliance with applicable provisions in Part 9D of the BSA], because the Licensee did not meet its record keeping obligations under paragraph 130ZZD(2)(b) of the BSA.

(ref: BI-759)

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pdf

BI-759 Investigation report: WIN Television Qld Pty Ltd [pdf, 274.8 KB]

Issue

Material which may cause distress

Privacy

Findings

Breach of subclause 3.2.1(c) [material which may cause distress – not broadcast reports of suicide or attempted suicide]

Breach of clause 3.5.1 [privacy]

Breach of clause 3.5.2 [privacy – special care]

of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice (2015)(revised 2018)

(ref: BI-755 – abridged)

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docx

BI-755 Investigation report: Channel Seven Adelaide Pty Ltd [docx, 127.52 KB]

Issue

Accuracy and impartiality

Findings

Breach of accuracy

Breach of impartiality

of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Code of Practice 2024

(ref: BI-723)

Linked content

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docx

BI-723 Investigation report: Australian Broadcasting Corporation [docx, 151.07 KB]

Issue

Exercise care in selecting material for broadcast and

Material which may cause distress

Findings

No breach of clause 2.3.3 [exercise care in selecting material for broadcast]

No breach of clause 3.2.1 [material which may cause distress]

(ref: BI-752)

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docx

BI-752 Investigation report: Channel Seven Melbourne Pty. Limited [docx, 108.4 KB]

Issue

Political matter

Findings

Breach of the licence condition at subclause 3A(2) of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 [election advertisements during the blackout period]

(ref: BI-746)

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docx

BI-746 Investigation report: Prime Television (Victoria) Pty Limited [docx, 112.5 KB]