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Making a Complaint to the Australian Media
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The Australian Media
The Australian media includes newspapers, television, radio, pay TV, foreign language or ethnic media produced in Australia and online media websites. Internet technology takes Australian news to the whole world and brings news from every part of the world onto our computer screens.
Consumers of news media can come across offensive, discriminatory or inaccurate reporting in almost any form.
The way in which the media presents a community, a locality or an individual can have a huge impact on community harmony. The power of the press and the news media generally cannot be underestimated in their ability to both inform and inflame public opinion.
However we all have the power to complain or voice our concerns about the way things are reported. If we are offended, or think the reporting of a situation is not fair or balanced, we need to express our concerns to the relevant authorities. In this way, according to the saying: “One voice can be very loud”.
The more strongly people raise their objections the more likely it is that the media can be made accountable for how they present the news and how they discuss important subjects. This guide also applies to all media including foreign language and ethnic media produced in Australia.
Remember media organisations are very powerful and well-resourced. We should not be daunted by that fact. A single complaint or even a campaign of complaint may not appear initially to have an impact, but if the level of complaint reaches the point where it could threaten ratings or potential income it does have impact.
The media is part of the community and likes to be seen as socially responsible. So, sometimes they can be persuaded to demonstrate that responsibility by rejecting certain forms of reporting or discussion and instead create a special program or special edition to turn round public opinion in a good and positive way. Readers, viewers or listeners can sometimes achieve that kind of result with persistence.
To have your voice heard by a newspaper or magazine editor or by a current affairs television producer may require no more than a simple phone call politely expressing your objection to a particular approach.
However to complain about more serious breaches or to ensure you have a greater impact with a complaint, you may need to write a letter or make an official complaint to the relevant bodies.
Codes of Practice and Statement of Principles
Commercial Television and Radio both have their own Code of Practice which provides guidelines for meeting community standards. Print Media have a Statement of Principles developed by the Australian Press Council and these principles are used when considering complaints.
A complaint will be more effective if direct references are included on how the relevant Code or Principles has been breached.
Important Links
Commercial Television Code of Practice
http://www.freetvaust.com.au/Content_Common/pg-Code-of-Practice.seo
Commercial Radio Code of Practice
http://commercialradio.com.au/index.cfm?page_id=1170
and then scroll down the page and click on the link “Commercial radio Code of Practice – September 2004 – PDF”
Print Media Statement of Principles
http://www.presscouncil.org.au/pcsite/complaints/sop.html
Australia Communication and Media Authority - is responsible for the regulation of broadcasting, the internet, radio communications and telecommunications. (http://www.acma.gov.au).
What steps do you take in making a complaint? A general guide.
- Name the time, date, place, program and media outlet of the story you wish to complain about.
- Don’t delay. Most outlets have time limits on accepting complaints and the longer you delay the more likely it is that you will never do it.
- Be precise and use as much detail as you can about the item you are objecting about. General statements like “it’s offensive reporting” may make it difficult for the outlet to pin down precisely what the complaint is about.
- Most media outlets have complaints procedures in place within their organization which are usually based on codes of practice or editorial policy, which are, in turn, based on legislation or codes of conduct for media reporting.
- Be constructive, firm and persistent. Some outlets may take a long time to respond or may even ignore your complaint especially if it’s not constructive or precise.
- Don’t hesitate to follow up until you get the response you need.
If you do not receive a response within a set period of time (usually 60 days) or if you are unsatisfied with the response you have received you can take it to the relevant governing body - Australia Communication and Media Authority for Commercial Television and Radio (http://www.acma.gov.au) or the Australian Press Council for Print Media (http://www.presscouncil.org.au).
What are the steps, to make a complaint according to specific outlets?
Television and Radio Complaints
Complaints about the content of programs on commercial television and radio, and ABC and SBS services should be made directly, in writing, to the station concerned. You should provide details of time and date of broadcast, as well as the nature of the complaint and how you think the broadcasting code of conduct has been breached. You should keep a photocopy of your signed letter.
If the complaint does not receive an answer within 60 days, or if you are unhappy with the answer provided, you may direct the complaint to the Australian Communications and Media Authority. If you do this, you must include signed copies of all correspondence between you and the station.
Television and Radio
| Channel Ten Director of Programming Channel 10 GPO Box 10 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel: (02) 9650 1010 Fax: (02) 9619 1005 TTY: (02) 9650 1213 Use the Online form http://www.ten.com.au | Channel Nine The Programming Department Channel Nine PO Box 27 Willoughby NSW 2068 Ph: (02) 9906-9999 |
| Channel 7 For all Austext InformationServices enquiries Cross Platform Dept. Channel 7 Sydney PO Box 777 SYDNEY NSW 2009 Tel: (02) 8777 7777 Or contact your local Seven office listed below Email:austext@seven.com.au | ABC ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs GPO Box 9994 Sydney NSW 2001 Phone:1300 13 9994 TTY: 1800 627 854 Use the online complaint form. |
| SBS Audience Affairs Manager Locked Bag 28 Crows Nest NSW 2065 Tel: 9430 3812 Fax: 9430 3047 TTY: 1800 502 828 Toll Free number 1800 500 727 | Channel 31 / TVS Television Sydney (TVS) Limited Television Sydney Building BD, Werrington South Campus, UWS Locked Bag 1797 Penrith South DC NSW 1797 Tel: 02 9852 5000 Fax: 02 9852 5050 Email: media@tvs.org.au Website: http://www.tvs.org.au/contact.html |
| Foxtel Call 1300 765 866 https://www.foxtel.com.au | Ethnic Radio and TV CRC list of Ethnic Radio and TV |
| 2GB Radio 2GB Level 1, Building C, 33-35 Saunders St Pyrmont NSW 2009 Postal Address: GPO Box 4290 SYDNEY, NSW 2001 Phone: (02) 8570 0000 Fax: (02) 8570 0219 OPENLINE/TALKBACK: Within NSW 131 873 (Local Call) Click here for a list of individual presenters, management and programming Click here for the complaints forms | 2UE |
| Other Radio Stations Investigate the websites of the radio station you want to make a complaint about for contact details. |
NB: To help you contact the relevant media source the Community Relations Commission For a multicultural NSW has a comprehensive list of media outlets on the website http://www.crc.nsw.gov.au/ethnic_media
Print Media Complaints
The investigation of complaints against print media should be directed in the first instance to the editor or other representative of the publication concerned. If the complaint is not resolved to you satisfaction you may then write to the Australian Press Council which is an industry body responsible for ensuring the print media acts responsibly and ethically. Go to: http://www.presscouncil.org.au/pcsite/complain.html
| Sydney Morning Herald & Sun Herald To make a complaint please note details of the article such as date, author, headline and URL and contact ReaderLink on Tel (02) 9282 1569 or email to: readerlink@mail.fairfax.com.au | Daily Telegraph & Sunday Telegraph |
| Local Papers Address complaints to the editor. Ethnic Papers CRC list of Ethnic Newspapers | Australian Press Council |
Other supportive action that will support the complaint
- Letters to the editor- of the newspaper/publication concerned.
- Getting on air on the radio talkback programmes.
- Encouraging colleagues to inundate that particular programme to ensure that at least one person gets on air and to lessen the opportunity for the broadcaster to “dump” anyone discussing your topic.
- Writing to your local politician about your complaint.
- Holding a local community forum to gain support for your complaint and inviting relevant media personnel from various outlets (depending on the article and the severity of the issue).
- Contact Media Watch on ABC TV [www.abc.net.au/mediawatch].
- Write to the advertisers and sponsors of programs to make them aware of the offensive content of programs they are sponsoring.
This fact sheet has been developed for the Canterbury Bankstown Community Harmony Round Table - a project of the NSW Government managed by the Community Relations Commission For a multicultural NSW.