Code 5 – News and Journalistic Content

This Code is from the Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice (2025) and goes into effect on 1 July 2025. For information about the current Codes of Practice visit https://www.cbaa.org.au/community-broadcasting/codes-of-practice-current.

CODE

1. In broadcasting news and journalistic content we must:

   1. provide access to perspectives not adequately represented by other broadcasting sectors;

   2. ensure that:

      1. all factual material is presented accurately;

      2. all News Content is presented with due impartiality;

         News Content means: the news content in a news bulletin, newsbreak, news update or news flash.
         
         

   3. represent viewpoints fairly without having misleading emphasis, editing out of context or withholding relevant and available material;

   4. where practical, include the voices of those with relevant lived experience;

   5. clearly distinguish factual material from analysis, commentary or opinion, comedy, satire, and any other kind of fictional entertainment content;

   6. exercise special care when reporting on contentious or controversial matters where facts may be contested and not settled and avoid the amplification of misinformation and disinformation;

      Misinformation is verifiably false, misleading, or deceptive information that has the potential to cause serious harm to the community and/or individuals, including disinformation, which is misinformation created and/or broadcast with malicious intent.
      
      

   7. not present material in a way that is likely to create public panic or cause serious distress to reasonable listeners;
      

   8. provide correction or clarification of significant errors of material fact in a timely manner;

   9. ensure our journalists identify themselves and our organisation before proceeding with an interview;

   10. avoid or adequately disclose any conflict of interest. Any such conflict must not influence the content of a broadcast.

2. A failure to comply with 5.1b)i. will not be a breach of the Code if the station makes a correction in an appropriate manner within 30 days of a complaint being received or notice of a complaint being referred to the ACMA (whichever is later).

OTHER LEGISLATIVE MATTERS

• We must keep a record for 6 weeks of programs we broadcast that relate to a political subject or current affairs in the form of news, an address, a statement, a commentary, or a discussion.