It’s been a long while coming, but Australia’s commercial TV networks are finally accepting complaints about programming and advertising online, rather than forcing viewers to send a physical document.
Complaints lodged via the newly-launched form on the Free TV Australia site will be automatically routed to the relevant network, which has to respond within 30 days. It’s compulsory to provide a mailing address (so that “networks can respond to your complaints”) but not to supply an email address, which suggests that the response will still be a written letter.
As the site points out, complaints can only be lodged specifically relating to the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice, which covers classification, news and current affairs content, promotions and advertising. Crucially, it doesn’t cover programs running late, which would otherwise presumably result in weekly complaints about practically every prime-time show. That approach will presumably will cut down on vexatious complaints, which are a legitimate problem for broadcasters whatever their (numerous) flaws.
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