Complaints

Compliance issues may also be raised through complaints by the public, compliance auditing and reports of non-compliance from funding agencies.

Complaints about alleged breaches of broadcast standards directed to the broadcaster by the public should be required to be addressed by the broadcaster in accordance with the requirements of the Broadcasting Act and the Broadcasting Standards Authority, and these complaints and their resolution should be logged and reported in summary to the managing agency in the annual report.

It is proposed that, where complaints against the broadcaster about breaches of licence conditions are received by the managing agency, from the public, a government department or a funding agency, the managing agency will notify the broadcaster of the issue raised and require a response as to how the broadcaster intends to address the issue within ten working days.

If the managing agency judges that there is a breach then it will subsequently initiate enforcement procedures.

Issue 4

Do you agree that broadcasters should be required to deal with complaints is the manner proposed above? Why or why not? If not, what alternative would you suggest?