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Networks brace for e-complaints

TV networks are readying for the introduction of online complaints that can be sent by angry viewers from March 1st.

Within two weeks time, television viewers will be able to use the internet to make complaints about TV programmes.

The online complaint form follows the review of the Commercial Code of Practice last year.

From Monday March 1st, viewers will be able to use an electronic complaint form via the Free TV Australia website, similar to the downloadable complaint form it currently accepts via fax and mail.

“You’ll be able to go to one place which is the Free TV website, and you’ll be able to enter the information that you currently have to provide, and it will be much easier than it was before,” Julie Flynn from Free TV Australia told TV Tonight.

“You will be able to punch a button and it will go through to the relevant broadcaster.”

The website, hosted by the industry group that represents commercial networks, will serve as a single online entry point for e-complaints, and will forward each complaint to the offending network.

“The broadcasters will handle them in the same way as they have previously,” she said. “We are hosting the site but will have nothing to do with the process.”

Each complaint will receive an auto-response acknowledging its receipt, while the relevant network has 30 days to respond to a complainant. Where viewers are not satisfied with the outcome they can still take the issue further via the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Free TV has also introduced a clause within the Code of Practice which says in the case of a concerted campaign of complaints the broadcaster only has to make a response to the first complainant:

If a person makes multiple Code complaints about a program or series of programs, the licensee is only obliged to respond to the first complaint, unless the subsequent complaints raise new and distinct issues.

If a licensee receives a series of complaints from a number of people or group of persons about the same broadcast, the licensee may respond with a generic response on the issues subject always to the obligation in clause 7.11 to provide a substantive written response to all issues raised in the complaint.

Flynn said networks were trying to ensure they responded to genuine community complaints as quickly as possible but orchestrated campaigns were a different story altogether.

She wasn’t sure whether networks would have to employ extra staff to handle an increased volume of complaints that might be received.

“We won’t know until the 1st of March,” she said. “Our suppliers are very confident that we will be ready to go on March 1st.”

All complaints must include the date and time of broadcast, name and address of complainant and be sent within 30 days of broadcast.

“Anyone who doesn’t have access to the internet will still be able to complain and will still be handled in the same speed that they have in the past.”

41 Responses

  1. Channel Nine. Please give Top Gear back to SBS.
    Last night’s episode (2nd March) was touted as the new series when in fact it was Episode 4.
    Two weeks ago Epidosde 1 was aired but had obviously had part of the beginning cut (where they always show what’s coming up in the new series) plus the end was missing. An approx 51 min show was reduced to just over 40 minutes.
    Are we going to see episodes 2 & 3 ?
    Why purchase the rights to a TV show that Nine has bragged as being the world’s most watched TV show only to cut parts from it & then air it out of order (presume to fit in with their Cricket love?).
    The loyal audience (including me) will be lost.

  2. Sure we can turn it off but when we are subsiding the private companies maybe it’s in our interest to get some quality return on our $$$! Either thay or put the TV station broadcasting rights up for tender every 10 or so years – That will make things interesting!

  3. If you don’t like what you see on TV, well…don’t watch it! What knobber can’t get the remote and change the channel? And you have to love when you read “nine received 15 complaints about underbelly”…put that into a percentage when you take the so-called audience. So again, if you don’t like it, turn it off, it’s not costing you anything.

  4. The most fustrating thing for me is start times.
    10 are actually getting better – especially during prime time.
    Channel 7 is Dreadful – things begin to lag behind thanks to Today Tonight, Home & Away starts 5 mins late & goes past 7.30pm, if you want to watch a show on say 10 (who start on time) you miss the first 5 mins.
    I have no idea why the networks have a problem with time, its not live, there’s no unexpected delays – so why cant you keep to your times?

  5. Nice to have a voice like on this site,or your local paper.But to have something like this or to a lesser sense this site,overall people tend to complain about such little matters.It’s great in this day and age people can have there say but you always get 99% of the time get a negative comment posted.The bottom line is if a TV Show is successful people’s negative comments will never be taken on board.Some of you mention about shows starting late or finishing late,networks are well aware of this,by the way.Been going for years.They are allowed to do it so they do

  6. This is great.

    Neighbours should not be allowed on TV at 6:30pm! There’s no way it passes the G classification, there ads don’t even make the G rating. I think on March 1st, everyone who agrees should complain.

  7. S said: Why don’t all you “citizen heroes” get off your keyboard a**es and actually ring and complain.? I know you would have to Talk to a human, but that has more impact than hiding behind your keyboard….

    @S: it’s probably more productive to make any complaints in writing. Verbal complaints usually go nowhere further than the receptionist taking the call.

  8. Absolutely pointless to complain to TV networks, they don’t give the slightest damn about what you think.
    They will continue to do whatever the hell they like, unless something they are doing is legislated against, and then will still continue doing it if the penalties are low enough for them to ignore…

    The bottom line is the almighty $

  9. Can I use this new system for complaining about Nine cutting a massive 20 minutes out of last night’s TopGear? The original episode ran for 1 hour and 1 minute, while Nine’s version ran for only 41 minutes, not including the ads.

  10. Why don’t all you “citizen heroes” get off your keyboard a**es and actually ring and complain.? I know you would have to Talk to a human, but that has more impact than hiding behind your keyboard….

  11. Does this mean “they” might start broadcasting on time, if we can complain to freely?? As soon as the ratings season started H & A starts late, DH, Greys, The Good Wife – you name it….If the ABC can do it I don’t know why 7, 9 and 10 can’t?

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