Sunday, October 16, 2011

Australian government to amend radio laws

The Australian government has confirmed it will introduce amendments to the laws on how much local content regional radio stations have to carry, The Australian reports. 

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, said the amendments would be introduced before the end of the year.

He told Commercial Radio Australia's National Conference on the Gold Coast that the changes would reduce red tape and ensure regional content.

The changes will be a relief for regional radio operators. The previous government introduced laws requiring regional commercial radio broadcasting licensees to provide minimum levels of local content and, in certain circumstances (after ownership changes), to broadcast minimum levels of local news and information, maintain a local presence and comply with additional reporting and record-keeping obligations. 

Commercial Radio Australia's Chief Executive Joan Warner said she was heartened the industry would "get some relief from some very draconian and interventionist legislation".

"I'm disappointed it's taken so long because we've been working on it for so long," she said.

(Source : Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)

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