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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →For Australia’s federal election on Saturday 21 May 2022, the blackout on election and referendum advertisements on covered television and radio broadcasts ran from the end of Wednesday 18 May until polls closed on election day. It did not stop campaign ads appearing online, in streamed content or in print.
When did the 2022 blackout start and end?
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) states that broadcast election and referendum ads cannot run from the end of the Wednesday before polling day until the close of the poll on polling day. The Australian Electoral Commission gives the same general timing. For the 2022 federal election, that meant the period from the end of Wednesday 18 May to the close of polling on Saturday 21 May. The rule describes the start as the end of Wednesday; it does not establish a specific clock time here. ACMA: Election and referendum blackout periods; AEC: Voter’s guide: Communication channels catalogue.
Which channels did the blackout cover?
| Channel | Was it covered by this blackout? |
|---|---|
| Television and radio broadcasts subject to the broadcast rules | Yes. Election and referendum advertisements could not be broadcast during the blackout. |
| Online services | No. ACMA says online services could still publish election ads during the blackout. |
| Streamed content viewed on smart TVs | No. ACMA includes streamed content viewed on smart TVs among services that may still publish election ads. |
| Print media | No. ACMA says print media could still publish election ads during the blackout. |
This distinction explains why seeing a digital or printed campaign ad during the blackout did not, by itself, indicate a breach of the broadcast restriction. It does not mean those media are exempt from every other law or rule. ACMA: Election and referendum blackout periods.
Why were campaign ads still visible online?
The blackout was a restriction on covered broadcasts, not a platform-wide ban on campaign advertising. Digital campaigning continued during the 2022 election period. A chapter of the Parliament of Australia’s report on the election cites Australia Institute research, reported by Free TV: parties and candidates ran 26,945 political ads on Facebook and Instagram over the two months leading up to 21 May 2022, with reported spending of $12.5 million. The research was by the Australia Institute; the parliamentary committee chapter reported it rather than conducting the study. Parliament of Australia: Chapter 5 – Strengthening Australia’s electoral system.
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Did the blackout remove all political content from TV and radio?
No. The restriction concerned election and referendum advertisements. It should not be read as a ban on every discussion of politics or every kind of political matter on broadcast services. Separate requirements govern political matter, election ads, authorisation particulars, record-keeping and broadcasters’ obligations. ACMA identifies the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, the Commonwealth Electoral (Authorisation of Voter Communication) Determination 2021, the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 among the relevant legislation. ACMA: Election, referendum and political ads; Federal Register of Legislation: Broadcasting Services Act 1992.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does the rule apply to other elections?
ACMA’s current guidance says the blackout applies to federal, state and territory elections and by-elections, as well as referendums, but not local government elections. That broader guidance is distinct from the historical dates above, which apply to the 2022 federal election. For another election, check ACMA’s current blackout information for the relevant polling day and event. ACMA: Election and referendum blackout periods.
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The blackout did not establish that Australians saw fewer campaign ads overall or felt less advertising fatigue. It set a limited pause on election and referendum advertisements on covered television and radio broadcasts, while ads could continue through other channels.
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