Australian Council on Children & the Media

Standards in relation to advertising

Children will encounter commercials for products on free-to-air TV, on Pay TV, and on the SBS. They will also encounter advertising on the Internet. This topic describes:

the amount of time taken up by commercials
regulations about the content of commercials.

The amount of time taken up by commercials

The amount of time taken up by commercials varies depending on whether you are viewing free-to-air TV, pay TV or the SBS.

Free-to-air TV

commercials are shown for 15 minutes each hour in time slots before prime time commences (early evening), that is in most children's after school programs, including cartoon shows
the exception is the special quota programs (those classified C) in which only 10 minutes per hour of paid commercials is allowed
there is no advertising permitted in or adjacent to the special P preschool quota programs (one half hour per day).

Pay TV

the amount of time is not regulated, but is generally less than on the free-to-air stations

SBS

Commercials only occur at the beginning and end of programs.

Regulations about the content of commercials

The content of commercials is regulated as follows:

Free-to air TV

in C programs, the content of advertisements are regulated by the Children’s Television Standards
on free to air TV generally, the content of all other advertisements is covered by the self regulatory Commercial TV Industry Code of Practice.
The Commercial TV Industry Code of Practice requires that advertisements directed to children observe most, but not all of the ACMA standards on advertising to children. Within C programs the ACMA Children's Television Standards (CTS) have legal force. Outside of C programs the CTS are not legally binding.