Legislation was introduced today that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters.
Currently, ads on broadcast television are prohibited on Sunday and Anzac Day mornings between 6am and noon.
On Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday ads are prohibited on TV and radio.
Media Minister Paul Goldsmith said the change could generate approximately $6 million for the industry, which was facing a difficult environment.
“Traditional media outlets are operating in an extremely difficult environment and as the government, we must ensure regulatory settings are enabling the best chance of success.”
Any lost opportunities for revenue were significant in the current “tight financial context”, he said.
The minister also pointed out that the restrictions no longer make sense.
“These restrictions are no longer aligned with the ways in which audiences consume content. As technology and audiences continue to move away from traditional linear broadcasting, the restrictions are increasingly redundant.”
He said this would will level the playing field so local media companies were not disadvantaged in ways that did not apply to digital streaming platforms.