ACMA: Broadcasters should consider new self regulatory regime
Media watchdog, The Australian Communications and Media Authority, has today invited radio and television broadcasters to propose a new regulatory regime that would see some powers move away from the statutory regulator, towards a body similar to that of The Australian Press Council.
At a panel discussion today on issues of fairness and accuracy ACMA authority member Louise Benjamin said the authority was open to regulatory change and invited broadcasters to propose a new regime around tougher self regulation.
The suggestion from the regulator could see the legislated powers of the ACMA decrease but also the emergence of a self regulator with more “mid tier” powers, such as the ability to force a broadcaster to issue an on-air correction. Currently ACMA has only limited powers around removing a broadcaster’s licence and often left to reprimand breaches of the Codes of Practice, through so-called “enforceable undertakings”, without being able to force them to correct them on-air.
“The invitation I put out was for broadcasters to come up with a self regulatory model,” said Benjamin. “At the moment it’s a co-regulatory model which means the TV or radio station is the first port of call. I put that forward as part of the first principles review of both television and radio and it would be really good to see how they think it should be done.”
Because the Press Council is so very effective <– sarcasm.
Instead of making the Government watchdog look ineffectual, the proposal is to set up a body that has ineffectual behaviour built-in? I guess it's a way of getting government off the hook, but otherwise it's not really solving the problem, just making it less likely it will ever be resolved.
Self-regulation rarely works. This is another excuse by the ACMA to wash its hands of responsibility.