Commercial Australian broadcasters, via the Free TV lobby group, have proposed extending M-rated television programming by two hours per day, according to a report in The Guardian.

While M-rated programs are currently allowed to broadcast between 12pm and 3pm on weekdays, the lobby group is currently arguing for such content to start earlier, from 10am.

In addition, the group has also proposed removing restrictions on M-rated content during school holidays and weekends, so that they can start broadcasting earlier than 7.30pm.

Advocacy groups like Children and Media Australia (CMA) have voiced their concern at the proposed changes, arguing that it would expose children to inappropriate content. The CMA also expressed that such a proposal ignores the need for safe and family-friendly programming on free-to-air TV.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which handles TV regulation, has warned that extending the M-rated hours of free-to-air TV would also expose children to alcohol advertisements.

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The CMA has submitted its feedback during the public consultation phase of the proposal, in which it emphasised the need for free-to-air TV to serve as a ‘safe space for children’, especially during times of financial hardship when families may not afford paid streaming services.

Free TV CEO Bridget Fair stated to The Guardian that the group is reviewing public submissions and will consider community feedback before finalising changes to the Free TV self-regulatory code of practice (a code that has not been updated in a decade).

The push more for M-rated content comes as those same commercial broadcasters lobby against a potential gambling ad ban, arguing that Australia’s TV industry relies on gambling ad revenue for survival.

Between May 2022 and April 2023, more than one million gambling ads were shown on Australian free-to-air TV and radio, a quarter of which aired between 7pm and 10pm and mostly came from online betting companies (according to the Nielsen report).

The Labor party is currently considering only partial restrictions on gambling ads, which would include bans during children’s programming and live sports.

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