Ads during children's TV

A commercial TV broadcaster must follow the rules in:

• the Broadcasting Services Act 1992
• legislative instruments including the Australian Content and Children's Television Standards 2020, which sets the rules for advertising to children
• the codes of practice.

There are rules for:

• the separation of ads and sponsorship announcements
• the repetition of ads
• pressure in ads
• the clear presentation of ads
• the use of premium offers in ads
• competitions
• promotions and endorsements by popular characters
• advertising alcoholic drinks.

A commercial TV broadcaster must not show ads during a preschool (P) classified program.

Ads can be shown for:

• 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of C-classified (non-drama) programs
• 6 minutes and 30 seconds for every 30 minutes of C-classified drama programs.

All ads must accurately represent the advertised product or service. Ads cannot mislead or deceive children.

TV broadcasters must not show ads that demean anyone on the basis of:

• race
• nationality
• ethnicity
• gender
• sexual preference
• religion
• mental or physical disability.

Children’s TV programs and ads must not:

• show images or events in a way that is unduly frightening or distressing to children
• show unsafe uses of a product or unsafe situations that may encourage children to copy them
• advertise products that a government authority has declared unsafe.