Australian Council on Children & the Media

Complaints - free to air TV

Free-to-air TV includes:

the ABC
SBS
all commercial television stations, and
community TV.

ABC

Complaints that the ABC has acted contrary to the ABC Code of Practice should be directed to the ABC in the first instance.

(See related topic: How to complain for pointers on framing your complaint).

If you phone and want a response, you will be asked to put your complaint in writing. All such written complaints will receive a response from the ABC within 60 days from the receipt of the written complaint.

The complaint should be directed to the ABC in your capital city.

The ABC has an Independent Complaints Review Panel (ICRP), which will review written complaints which relate to allegations of serious bias, lack of balance, or unfair treatment from an ABC broadcast.

Contact the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) if:

there is no response to your complaint within 60 days
you are dissatisfied with the response from the ABC
you are dissatisfied with the outcome of an ICRP review, and the complaint is covered by the ABC Code of Practice.

Send a copy of your concern or complaint to Australian Council on Children and the Media .

SBS

Complaints that the SBS has acted contrary to the SBS Code of Practice should be directed to the SBS Policy Manager in the first instance.

If you want the SBS to reply formally, put the complaint in writing. The use of telephone or email is not considered satisfactory.

(See related topic: How to complain for pointers on framing your complaint).

Contact the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) if:

there is no response to your complaint within 60 days
you are dissatisfied with the response from SBS.

Send a copy of your concern or complaint to Australian Council on Children and the Media.

Commercial TV

Complaints about specific content (in programs or program promotions) on a commercial station should be directed, within 30 days of the broadcast, to that station:

(See White Pages listings in your city.)

Complaints about commercials on these networks should be directed to the Advertising Standards Bureau. If the content of concern has occurred in C or P program you can take your complaint directly to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

(See related topic: How to complain for pointers on framing your complaint).

The commercial stations have a form that you can use to lodge your complaint.

Contact the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), including all correspondence, if:

there is no response to your complaint within 60 days

you are dissatisfied with the response from the station.

Send a copy of your concern or complaint to Australian Council on Children and the Media

Community TV

Complaints that a community TV station has acted contrary to the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) Code of Practice should be directed to the community TV station which you are watching. See local phone books for the address.

(See related topic: How to complain for pointers on framing your complaint).

Contact the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), including all correspondence, if:

there is no response to your complaint within 42 days

you are dissatisfied with the response from the station.

Send a copy of your concern or complaint to Australian Council on Children and the Media.