Action on content complaints and investigations: January to March 2020

Provisions investigated

The ACMA receives and investigates complaints about a variety of licence conditions, program standards and codes of practice. Broadcasting codes of practice investigations usually assess a broadcast against more than one provision of the relevant code.

The following table shows finalised investigations and the relevant provisions. Breaches found during this period are shown in bold.

Broadcasting Investigations finalised (breaches in bold)

Investigation number	Broadcaster	Description	Provisions investigated
Provisions of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 (revised 2018)
BI-521	22/05/2019: Channel Seven Queensland Pty Limited	Seven News	3.3: accuracy and fairness 3.4: impartiality
BI-525	24/05/2019: Queensland Television Ltd (Nine Network0	Nine News	3.3: accuracy and fairness 3.4: impartiality
BI-526	27/07/2019: TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd	M classified film was incorrectly scheduled	2.3.2: classification exceptions
BI-542	9/10/2019: Network Ten (Sydney) Pty Ltd	Studio 10	2.1.1: classification and scheduling
Provisions of the National Broadcaster (ABC and SBS) codes
BI-519	12/05/2019 & 01/09/2019: ABC	Privacy and undue distress to victims	6.1: privacy 7.5: exercise sensitivity
Licence conditions under the Radiocommunications Licence Conditions (Broadcasting Licence) Determination 2015 (the LCD) and Schedule 2 the Broadcasting Service Act 1992 (the BSA)
BI-507	Kibela Pty Ltd (as trustee for the Mars Family Trust)	Allegation that an open narrowcaster was providing a commercial radio broadcasting service	LCD 4.3(a): narrowcasting operating requirements LCD 4.8(a): LPON operating requirements BSA 11(1)(d): record keeping
Provisions of Schedule 2 to the BSA
BI-517	Clarence Valley Christian Broadcasters	Community interest	9(2)(b): will continue to represent the community interest
BI-520	Noosa District Community FM Radio Association Inc	Community participation	9(2)(c)(ii): encouraging participation in selection and provision of programs
BI-527	3/09/19 & 6/09/19: Peninsula Community Broadcasters Inc	Advertisements	9(1)(b): will not broadcast advertisements
BI-528	3/09/19 & 6/09/19: Peninsula Community Broadcasters Inc	Advertisements	9(1)(b): will not broadcast advertisements
BI-533	17/09/2019: Radio 6PR Perth Pty Ltd	Tobacco advertising	8(1)(a): prohibition on tobacco advertising

	We assessed 46 matters
	We started 3 investigations
	We finalised 11 investigations
	There were 5 investigations with breach findings

Action on content complaints and investigations: January to March 2020

Decisions to investigate

Number of matters / investigations

Investigations commenced or declined by sector

Investigations finalised

Investigations finalised by sector

Average time taken to finalise closed investigations as at 31 March 2020

Provisions investigated