The commercial TV industry is banging the drum on regulatory reform, but several sources have indicated that there's Buckley's chance of changes being made to allow more alcohol advertising at 7.30pm.
Late last week Free TV released a draft code of practice, which will be subject to public comment before being submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for approval.
One of the more controversial measures in the draft code is moving the M watershed hour to 7.30pm instead of 8.30pm as it currently stands.
This would also allow alcohol brands to advertise at 7.30pm, bringing family-friendly formats such as reality TV and light entertainment into play for alcohol advertisers.
Free TV Australia is confident the code will get up, despite the potential for community backlash on the watershed move.
“What we've seen is that this is a reform Government that is keen to move towards deregulation,” Free TV Australia CEO Julie Flynn told AdNews.
“ACMA themselves have made the observation that the hours are outdated and commercial television should be allowed more flexibility. I'm confident that we'll see a recognition that the rules governing commercial TV and other mediums have to be brought closer together.
“The fact is that there's no regulation around this on any other platform.”
Free TV Australia says that the main reason it is seeking to have the code altered is that other emerging mediums such as online video and subscription video on demand platforms are largely unregulated.
“You look at those other mediums … people are accessing these platforms and there's no restrictions on those,” Flynn said.
However, the debate around the move of alcohol advertising to a 7.30pm threatens to distract from the main de-regulation agenda.
Some sources, though, are doubtful that the proposed changes to the code will be passed.
Media analyst Steve Allen of Fusion Analysis thinks there's very little chance of the code being signed off by ACMA unaltered.
“I really don't think there's much chance of this getting up, to be honest. There's a lack of appetite from ACMA or the Government for it,” Allen said.
“The TV industry is pushing for more deregulation ... through trying to float a debate about licensing fees and things like that, but I think there's no real appetite for any sort of far-reaching reform.
“There's definitely a wider play at work regarding the deregulation of the sector, but to be honest, in the current environment there's very little chance of this sort of thing getting up.”
Flynn said the industry welcomed the noise surrounding a change in alcohol advertising.
“We're not afraid of that debate, in fact, we encourage it. That's what public consultation is all about,” Flynn said.
She said fears alcohol brands would seek to flood the 7.30pm timeslot with ads were overblown.
“I think networks and advertisers will be very conscious of trying to alienate their audience,so I don't think you're going to get a flood of alcohol advertising during I'm a Celebrity or whatever,” Flynn said.
“The other thing is that the 7.30 hour is still a very competitive hour, so alcohol brands will be going up against big advertisers from the likes of super funds, food brands and so on.
Alcohol brands contacted by AdNews this morning would not comment on the possibility of advertising at 7.30pm, saying that they needed more time to digest the possible changes to the code.
However, for the code to become enshrined, ACMA must be satisfied that the code “provides appropriate community safeguards for the matters it covers”
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