Playing with the Big Kids: The Implications of Imported Advertising on Australian Television

Abstract

This article critically examines the Australian Broadcasting Authority's Television Program Standard 23 (TPS 23) — a set of regulations governing the importation of offshore television advertisements. Point five of the Australian Content in Advertising section of TPS 23 (effective from 23 January 1992) stipulates that: ‘A licensee must ensure that at least 80 per cent of the total advertising time (other than the time occupied by exempt advertisements) broadcast in a year by the licensee between the hours of 6.00 a.m. and midnight, is occupied by Australian produced advertisements.’ Although the 20 per cent guideline has not yet been breached, the number of imported commercials has increased since the introduction of the standard. This research paper concentrates on the implications of TPS 23 for those working in the media industry.