Industrial Radio Australia requires assessment of election blackout legal guidelines

The commercial radio industry called for an urgent review of the media blocking rules before the next federal election because the current system was problematic and out of date. Industry association Commercial Radio Australia said laws restricting political advertising on radio and television three days before an election resulted in millions of dollars in advertisements on Facebook, YouTube and Google being at the expense of Australian broadcasters.

“The rules were imposed before social media and are hopelessly out of date,” said CRA CEO Joan Warner called. “This is an issue that CRA has repeatedly addressed to the government and opposition as discriminatory and archaic.

“It’s crazy to put restrictions on local radio stations but give digital tech giants something free for all with online, digital, social media, robocall and spam text messages allowed until the polls are over on election day .

“This unfair regulation drives advertisers to digital platforms and has a significant financial impact on local radio stations.

In its report on the implementation of the 2019 Bundestag election of December 2020, the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Affairs (JSCEM) described the media failure as no longer appropriate and recommended a review “with a view to removing the restrictions on commercial radio” and television stations ” .

The committee recommended that the ACCC and ACMA work with the Australian Electoral Commission and other key stakeholders to ensure that “this important area is prioritized”.

Warner said this measure was also recommended in ACCC’s Digital Platforms Report.

In September, Commercial Radio Australia announced that her chairman, Joan Warner, had notified the CRA board of directors that she intended to step down early next year. The search for a replacement CEO began immediately with the aim of a new CEO taking over the position in the first quarter of 2022.

VOZ shows that 20% of the Australian population used a premium BVOD service at week 42.
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