Australian Broadcasting Authority
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The Australian Broadcasting Authority (commonly called the ABA in Australia) is an agency of the Australian federal government, responsible for regulating the television, radio, and Internet industries.
Its primary responsibilities are radio and television licensing (including broadcast spectrum licensing), and developing content restriction guidelines for television, radio, and Internet.
The ABA was created in the early 1990's to replace the old Australian Broadcasting Tribunal, which in turn replaced the Australian Broadcasting Control Board.
It has been criticised (most prominently by Media Watch) as ineffective, and reluctant or unable to take action against media transgressors. In 2004 its head David Flint was forced to resign after allegations that he had sent letters of 'gushing admiration' to talk-back radio host Alan Jones at a time when Jones was under investigation by the ABA.
In 2005, the ABA will merge with the Australian Communications Authority to create the Australian Communications and Media Authority, a super-regulator along the same lines as Ofcom in the United Kingdom.
See also
External links
- The ABA's web site (http://www.aba.gov.au/)