Revised March 2018

Purpose

To establish Valley FM policy required under the Broadcasting Services Act (Cwth 1992).

Policy

Valley FM will not broadcast any material that may:

  • Incite, encourage or present violence or brutality
  • Mislead or alarm listeners by simulating news or events
  • Present as desirable the use of illegal drugs, the misuse of tobacco or alcohol as well as other harmful substances, or
  • Glamourise, sensationalise or present suicide as a solution to life problems. In particular, broadcast material shall not provide explicit details about the method and/or location of any suicide attempt or death.

Censorship shall be avoided where possible. All programming decisions are to consider
Valley FM’s community interest, context, degree of explicitness, the possibility of alarming listeners, the potential for distress or shock, prevailing indigenous laws or community standards’ and the social importance of the broadcast.

No material will be broadcast that is likely to stereotype, incite, vilify or perpetuate hatred against, or attempt to demean any person or group on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race, language, gender, sexuality, religion, age, physical or mental ability, occupation, cultural belief or political affiliation. This requirement is not intended to prevent the broadcast of material which is factual.

Valley FM’s programming practices protect children from harmful material but avoid hiding the real world from them.

Valley FM adheres to the Commonwealth Privacy laws by:

  • Respecting people’s legitimate right to protection from unjustified use of material which is obtained without consent or through invasion of privacy
  • Only broadcasting the words of an identifiable person where: tThat person has been told in advance that the words may be broadcast, or it was clearly indicated at the time of recording that the material would be broadcast, or in the case of words that have been recorded without the knowledge of a person, that person has indicated his/her agreement prior to broadcast.

News, current affairs (including news updates and promotions), documentaries, feature programs and interviews shall:

  • Provide access to views not adequately represented by other broadcasting sectors
  • Present factual material accurately and ensure that reasonable efforts are made to correct substantial errors of fact as quickly as possible
  • Clearly distinguish factual material from commentary and analysis
  • Present news in such a way that it does not create public panic or unnecessary distress to listeners, and
  • Represent viewpoints fairly without having a misleading emphasis, editing out of context or withholding relevant and available material.

Valley FM can play a vital role in broadcasting emergency information. To do so Valley FM:

  • Has procedures in place that enable appropriate local emergency broadcasts
  • Liaises with ACT and regional emergency and essential services, and
  • Ensures that said information is accurate.

Compliance
The Board is responsible for the development, implementation and review of this policy. Compliance with the policy is the responsibility of all presenters.

Legislation Framework
Broadcasting Services Act (Cwth 1992)
Privacy Act (Cwth 1998)

References
Australian Communications and Media Authority, Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice (2016)