The ACMA

• They issue broadcasting licenses for television and radio stations, and enforce the conditions of those licenses.

• They also enforce industry codes of practice and government legislation. 

• They handle complaints if a member of the public feels that the broadcaster has not dealt with their complaint about a breach of their codes of practice. ACMA can then deliver consequences to the broadcaster, ranging from fines to cancelling their license. 

• Plan and manage the airwaves and make space for new services, like 5G.

The ACMA’s promotion and monitoring of self-regulation is getting difficult to manage due to a range of outdated government regulations, most of which are based on the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and does not adequately cover the changes in Australian media since the arrival of Web 2.0.

‘[By] June 2021, 70% of Australian adults had a smart TV connected to the internet, up from 64% in 2020. Smart TVs … allowing viewers to shift between traditional TV and a variety of live, catch-up, pay-per-view and subscription streaming services … few would realise that content viewed across these different platforms may be subject to different regulatory rules …’ 

‘… most current codes of practice do not apply to online content … platforms such as Netflix, Stan and Disney+ are currently not subject to regulation applied to broadcasters in Australia.’
  

- ACMA, June 2022