Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022

Complaints to the Commission about broadcasts or programme material

12. The Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following section for section 48:

“48. (1) A person may make a complaint to the Commission that there has been a failure to comply with section 46J, 46K, 46L, 46M(2) or (3), a media service code, a media service rule, section 46P(1) or (2), section 106(3) or section 127(6).

(2) A complaint shall be made in writing to the Commission not more than 30 days after—

(a) where the complaint relates to one broadcast, the date of the broadcast,

(b) where the complaint relates to 2 or more unrelated broadcasts, the date of the earlier or earliest, as the case may be, of those broadcasts,

(c) where the complaint relates to 2 or more related broadcasts, of which at least 2 are made on different dates, the later or latest of those dates, or

(d) where the complaint relates to programme material made available on an audiovisual on-demand media service, the date the programme material ceased to be available on that service.

(3) The Commission may, in the first instance, refer the complaint to the broadcaster or provider of an audiovisual on-demand media service concerned, for his or her consideration in accordance with a code of practice prepared under section 47(3).

(4) If the Commission does not refer a complaint under subsection (3), it may, following consideration of the complaint, dismiss the complaint, if it is satisfied that—

(a) the complaint is frivolous or vexatious or was not made in good faith,

(b) the subject matter of the complaint is trivial,

(c) the complaint has been resolved effectively under a code of practice prepared under section 47(3), or

(d) the complaint was not made in accordance with subsection (2).

(5) If the Commission does not refer a complaint under subsection (3) or dismiss it under subsection (4), it shall refer the complaint to a person authorised under section 139ZI(2) for his or her consideration.

(6) Where the Commission refers a complaint under subsection (3) or (5) or dismisses a complaint under subsection (4), it shall notify the person who made the complaint of that reference or dismissal as soon as practicable after doing so, and no later than 30 days after the date of the reference or dismissal.

(7) Where a complaint is dismissed under subsection (4), the notification referred to in subsection (6) shall include a statement of the reasons for the dismissal.

(8) The Commission shall either refer a complaint under subsection (3) or (5) or dismiss a complaint under subsection (4) within 60 working days from the date on which the complaint is received and shall publish notice of the fact of the reference or dismissal on a website maintained by it.

(9) A complaint made under subsection (1) of section 47 in accordance with subsection (2) of that section may, whether resolved under a code of practice prepared under subsection (3) of that section or not, be treated by the Commission as a complaint made to the Commission in accordance with subsection (2) of this section.”.