SBS has said it plans to stick with island breaks despite communications minister Stephen Conroy questioning their legality.
The broadcaster started inserting ads into programmes rather than only in between shows in January 2007.
But the Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Economy Minister told The Australian that he wanted clarification about whether the ASBS charter allows the move.
However, SBS said the broadcaster was yet to receive a formal request from the minister on the matter. “SBS has carefully considered its legal advice on this issue and believes that the guidelines on advertising and in-program breaks are appropriate,” a spokesman said.
Since the introduction of in-program breaks in January 2007, the broadcaster had secured a record six per cent audience share and increased commercial revenue growth, the spokesperson added.
In its advertising guidelines, the broadcaster says Section 45 of the SBS Act provides that “SBS may broadcast advertisements and sponsorship announcements before or after programs and during natural breaks and that run in total for not more than five minutes in any hour of broadcasting”.
