Labor to block SBS TV advertising changes

SBS may have to find other savings in its budget after Labor vowed to oppose changes to the way it runs its TV advertising.

A television remote

Labor MPs have voted to oppose new laws giving broadcaster SBS more flexibility on advertising. (AAP)

Labor MPs have voted to oppose new laws giving broadcaster SBS more flexibility on advertising.

The Labor caucus confirmed its position at a meeting in Canberra on Tuesday.

Labor leader Bill Shorten has previously argued the coalition was forcing SBS to run more advertising and at the same time cutting its budget, in breach of a clear election promise.

SBS has a strict limit of five minutes of advertising per hour, which equates to a maximum of 120 minutes shown per day.

But it earns most of its advertising revenue during peak viewing times, between 6pm and 10pm or during special events.

The new laws will allow SBS to show up to 10 minutes of advertising per hour but within a daily overall limit of 120 minutes.

SBS will also be able to use "product placement" in its own commissioned food and sport programming.

The extra $28.5 million in revenue over four years will be directed towards meeting the government's efficiency savings applied to SBS from 2015/16.

If the laws aren't passed before the end of this financial year, the government has said SBS will need to find other savings.


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Source: AAP


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