146SSimplified outline

146S  Simplified outline • This Part sets up a scheme to promote the free availability to audiences throughout Australia of television coverage of events of national importance and cultural significance. • The Minister may, by legislative instrument (the anti‑siphoning list), specify the events that are covered by this Part. If an event is specified in the list, there is a period in which media content service providers (other than national broadcasters and certain Australian commercial television broadcasting licensees) are prohibited from acquiring the rights to televise or otherwise provide coverage of a whole or a part of the event. This ensures that national broadcasters and certain Australian commercial television broadcasting licensees have the opportunity to acquire the rights and televise the event for free to the general public. • If the rights to an event are not acquired within the relevant period, the event is automatically removed from the anti‑siphoning list, unless the Minister makes another legislative instrument declaring that the event is to remain in the list. • The Minister also has a general power to remove events from the list if the Minister considers it appropriate to do so (for example, if the Minister thinks that doing so is likely to have the effect that the event will be televised to a greater extent than if it remained in the list). • The ACMA has information gathering and enforcement functions and powers in relation to this Part. • There is to be a review of the operation of this Part.