The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that Bankstown City Radio Co-operative Ltd, the licensee of Sydney community broadcasting service Radio BFM, breached a condition of its temporary licence by broadcasting advertisements
Community radio stations may broadcast up to five minutes of sponsorship announcements in any hour. Under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, sponsorship announcements on community radio must include an appropriate acknowledgement of financial support (a ‘tag’), otherwise they can be considered advertisements.
ACMA found that Radio BFM broadcast advertisements on 19 October and 23 November 2007 as a number of sponsorship announcements played during the program ‘Dosti’ did not carry ‘tags’.
However, as the program is no longer on air and ACMA is satisfied that the licensee has put in place adequate measures to ensure there are no further breaches of the sponsorship rules, no action is proposed at this time.
ACMA started its investigation after it received two complaints from a complainant in November 2007.
Bankstown City Radio Co-operative Ltd provides community radio service Radio BFM for the general community of Bankstown. The service is provided under a temporary community broadcasting licence.
