Australia's radio industry needs to develop new codes to prevent children being exploited, the communications watchdog says, after last year's stunt on the Kyle and Jackie O show.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released its report into the adequacy of safeguards for participants in live hosted programs.
It follows last year's infamous Kyle and Jackie O incident in which a teenage girl attached to a lie detector was quizzed about her sexual conduct and revealed she'd been raped.
The new codes must include provisions to stop members of the public being exploited and ensure the provisions are transparent and available to the public.
Children 'main consideration'
Licensees of radio stations must also ensure their codes include the requirement that the best interests of under age children interviewed on live programs are their "key consideration".
The ACMA says if the community concerns are not addressed in a "timely manner" then the authority will determine program standards where codes of practice either fail or no code is developed.
Last August the authority launched an investigation into the industry's code of practice after the 14-year-old girl, interviewed live on Sydney's 2Day FM, admitted she was raped when she was 12.
She was attached to a lie detector and asked questions about her sexual conduct.
The interview sparked outrage from the public and criticism of the show, which led to the suspension of its two hosts, Kyle and Jackie O, for two weeks.
ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said the authority recognises that commercial radio needs the flexibility to provide attractive and innovative programming to attract and retain audiences.
"However, the industry must also be responsive to issues of community concern and address them as and when they emerge," Mr Chapman said in a statement.
'Addressing community concerns'
The changes are designed to specifically address community concerns, especially in relation to the treatment of children in commercial radio programs, Mr Chapman said.
The report says the codes presently do not provide any special consideration for the treatment of children in commercial radio programs at all.
Even if parents provide consent for their child to participate in a program, they could still be exploited.
"The broadcast (particularly in light of the mother's consent) exposes shortcomings within the current system in that there were not sufficient safeguards within the codes to ensure the welfare of the child involved was adequately considered by the licensee prior to the broadcast," the report said.
