Broadcasters
In this section you will find user-friendly information sheets and FAQs relevant for TV & Radio Broadcasters.
Related Info Sheets
Related FAQs
Does our community station need permission to broadcast readings of poetry, plays and books?
You can broadcast a reading or recitation of an extract of one of these works without getting permission. However, unless copyright has expired, you will need permission to broadcast the whole of a work, or more than an “extract of reasonable length”.
Can our community radio station broadcast people reading out newspaper articles for the print disabled?
The Copyright Act permits radio stations holding special licences to broadcast published literary or dramatic works provided they meet certain requirements (discussed above under “The print disability radio licence”).
The licences, issued under broadcasting legislation, are “granted for the purpose of authorising the making of sound broadcasts to persons who by reason of old age, disability or literacy problems are unable to handle books or newspapers or to read or comprehend written material”.
If you are unsure whether your radio station’s licence meets this description, you may be able to get some assistance from the CCBAA.
Does our community station need permission to broadcast hired or purchased videos to members of our language group?
Permission will be needed from the copyright owners before you can broadcast videos – there are no special provisions allowing community broadcasters to do this without permission. The first point of contact for getting permission will be the film’s producer (the production company will usually be identified on the video cover) or their Australian agent.
Can we transmit our community radio or TV programs over the internet?
In general, you need to get separate permissions to upload material to the internet, even if you already have permission to broadcast it. You can get licences from at least some of the collecting societies for use of music (for example, from APRA and AMCOS).
In general, before you make programs available on the internet, check what copyright material is included in each program and ensure that you have the permission of the copyright owners for this use.
In addition, you should be aware that if people visiting the site can download the material (making further copies), you could be “authorising” them to make these uses of the material. If these other uses are not authorised by the copyright owner, ensure that the material is available only as a stream, not a download.
Can our community broadcaster tape programs from other stations and re-broadcast them?
In general, recording a program from pay or free-to-air television, or from the radio, is likely to infringe copyright in the broadcast and in the script for the program, as well as in any copyright works and other material included in the program. (There are certain limited exceptions, applying to educational institutions and governments acting within the terms of statutory licences, or to people and organisations relying on the fair dealing and private use exceptions.)
Broadcasting the recording, or making further copies of it, is likely to be a further infringement unless, for example, one of the fair dealing provisions applies.
Unless an exception is available, a community broadcaster will generally need to get permission to record and re-transmit such material from the other broadcaster and from the owners of copyright in the underlying material (for example, any volunteer announcers who have written scripts, as well as from film producers, publishers and record companies). Note that they may refuse permission, or may charge you a licence fee.