This article applies principles from the Department of Communications’ policy review of telecommunications consumer protection to broadcasting co-regulation. The Consumer Safeguards Review establishes six principles for good regulation, including that rule-making processes should ‘enable a wide range of views to be considered’. It notes that processes for developing telecommunications codes of practice are likely to lead to ‘sub-optimal’ consumer protection measures. The article draws on original empirical research to assess development of commercial television and commercial radio codes of practice, with particular emphasis on public engagement in co-regulation. It finds the broadcasting codes of practice fail to meet the principles adopted by the Department for good co-regulation. It concludes by arguing there is a pressing need for a more holistic review of communications co-regulation, as broadcasting legislation is similar to the telecommunications legislation, and there is a risk that ‘sub-optimal’ practices could be applied in attempts to regulate digital platforms.

本文将通信部对电信消费者保护的政策审查中的原则应用于广播共同监管。《消费者保障审查》确立了良好监管的六项原则，其中包括规则制定过程应“使广泛的观点得到考虑”。它指出，制定电信业务守则的过程很可能导致“次优”的消费者保护措施。本文利用原始的经验研究来评估商业电视和商业广播业务守则的发展，尤其着重于公众参与共同监管。它发现广播业务守则不符合新闻部为良好监管而采用的原则。