Logging

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Community broadcasters are required to keep records of matters broadcast, sometimes referred to as 'logging' content.

This requirement is set out in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 - Schedule 2: Standard conditions:

5   Records of matter broadcast

  1. In this clause, broadcaster means:
    1. a commercial television broadcasting licensee; or
    2. a commercial radio broadcasting licensee; or
    3. a community broadcasting licensee; or
    4. a subscription television broadcasting licensee; or
    5. a person providing broadcasting services under a class licence.

 

  1. If a broadcaster broadcasts matter relating to a political subject or current affairs, being matter that is in the form of news, an address, a statement, a commentary or a discussion, the broadcaster must cause a record of the matter to be made in a form approved in writing by the ACMA.

 

  1. Subject to this clause, a broadcaster must retain in his or her custody a record so made for a period of:
    1. 6 weeks from the date on which the matter was broadcast; or
    2. if a complaint has been made about the matter - for 60 days from the date on which the matter was broadcast;

 

  1. or for such longer period as the ACMA, in special circumstances, directs in writing.

 

  1. If a person considers that a record so made is admissible in evidence in proceedings instituted, or proposed to be instituted, in a court, being a record that is held under subclause (3), the person may give to the broadcaster a notice in writing informing the broadcaster that the record may be required for the purposes of the proceedings.

 

  1. If such a notice is given to a broadcaster in respect of a record, the broadcaster must, subject to this clause, retain the record until the proceedings or the proposed proceedings to which the notice relates have been finally determined.

 

  1. If the proceedings are not instituted within a period of 3 months after the notice is given to the broadcaster, subclause (5) ceases to apply to the record at the end of that period.

 

  1. The obligation imposed by this clause on a broadcaster to retain a record does not apply at any time when the record is in the custody of a court in connection with proceedings instituted in the court.

 

  1. If the ACMA is of the opinion that a matter of which a record has been made under this clause is of sufficient historic interest to justify its being permanently preserved, the ACMA may direct in writing a person who has custody of the record to deliver it for safe keeping to a person or authority specified by the ACMA, and the person to whom the direction is given must comply with the direction but is entitled to fair compensation.

 

  1. A broadcaster must, without charge, make available to the ACMA, upon request, any specified record made by the broadcaster under subclause (2) that has been retained by the broadcaster (whether or not the broadcaster is, at the time of the request, under an obligation to retain the record).

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Although stations are only required to log specific content, it is advised that for ease of use, they log all content broadcast and retain copies for the required period of 6 weeks (42 days,) unless a complaint has been made, in which case the content needs to be retained for 60 days.

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