ACMA regional radio changes

ACMA have invited submissions on their proposed changes to the 'trigger event' legislation as it applies to regional radio licensees.

The proposal will revoke the existing local content license conditions and replace them with a new set of conditions reflecting the changes.

Those amendments, broadly speaking, will require licensees in regional radio to comply with the following regarding a local presence;

• maintain existing levels of local presence to 24 months from the date of a trigger event (change of ownership).

• the amendments will not apply to remote area services (such as Rebel FM in Queensland), racing radio services and licenses allocated under section 40 (1) of the Broadcasting Services Act.

And amends the local content conditions as below;

• the local content license conditions does not apply to remote area services, racing radio services and licenses allocated under section 40 (1) of the BSA.

• it does not require the broadcast of local significance during a particular five-week period.

• it removes the note to subsection 6 (4) of the previous license condition, known as 'the music note'.

Submissions close on Friday 3 August.