Get the Picture - Free-to-air TV - Commercial broadcasters

FREE-TO-AIR TV

Commercial broadcasters: Commercials

Release of Australian productions

International comparisons

WHAT's NEW?

Number of commercials classified as Australian and foreign by the Commercials Acceptance Division (CAD), 1998–2006

The total number of commercials cleared by the Commercials Acceptance Division (CAD),¹ as shown in the first table, increased yearly between 1998 and 2005. Despite a rise in the number of foreign commercials, the total fell for the first time in 2006 after two consecutive falls in the number of Australian and exempt commercials. The data includes both new and revised commercials (those with minor changes), as well as commercials resubmitted because they are over two years old.

The second table shows new commercials only, further highlighting the decrease in Australian commercials over the last two years. In 2006, foreign advertising represented 5.1 per cent of the total number of all commercials cleared by CAD, and 7.4 per cent of all new commercials classified, up from 4.7 per cent and 6.5 per cent respectively in 2005.

Next update August 2008

	Number of new and revised advertisements
	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Australian	36,609	38,365	38,886	41,498	46,846	47,948	52,500	51,924	50,488
Foreign	1,693	1,459	1,687	1,276	1,356	1,592	1,809	2,827	3,048
Exempt²	5,104	4,672	5,085	4,699	5,201	5,748	5,935	5,644	5,352
Total	43,406	44,496	45,658	47,546	53,403	55,288	60,244	60,395	58,888
Foreign as per cent of total	3.9%	3.3%	3.7%	2.7%	2.5%	2.9%	3.0%	4.7%	5.1%

	Number of new advertisements by type
	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Australian	12,578	12,538	13,579	13,521	14,186	14,942	14,273	13,521
Foreign	600	675	581	656	668	774	985	1,075
Total	13,238	13,213	14,160	14,177	14,854	15,716	15,258	14,596
Foreign as per cent of total	5.0%	5.1%	4.1%	4.6%	4.5%	4.9%	6.5%	7.4%

Source: Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

Notes:
1. Most television advertisements are classified as Australian or foreign by the Commercials Acceptance Division Pty Limited (CAD), which is wholly owned by Free TV Australia, formerly Commercial Television Australia. CAD provides classification and information services to advertisers, agencies and production houses in relation to television commercials. This information assists the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), formerly the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA), in monitoring the Australian content of advertising on television. Content is regulated under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice, developed by Free TV Australia and registered with the ACMA.

The regulations – setting limits of 80 per cent Australian, 20 per cent foreign content – are based on the amount of time television commercials are shown, whereas figures here are for the number of commercials classified. While foreign commercials make up 3–4 per cent of the total number of classified commercials, they take up an average of 12.5 per cent of advertising time. The Productivity Commission Report into Broadcasting, released in 2000, cited possible reasons for this, such as foreign commercials are longer than local ones or they are shown more often.

2. Advertisements for imported cinema films, videos, recordings, live appearances by overseas entertainers and community service announcements are exempt from the standard.

Production industry: for information about commercials production in Australia.
Free-to-air TV: Commercial broadcasters: Regulation