The bill would repeal section 81 of the Broadcasting Act 1989, ending the legal restriction on television and radio advertising during certain mornings and holidays. The bill was defeated at its third reading.
The Broadcasting (Repeal of Advertising Restrictions) Amendment Bill amends the Broadcasting Act 1989 to remove the long-standing ban on broadcast advertising on certain days. The relevant provisions currently prohibit television and radio advertisements on Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and before noon on Anzac Day, along with historic limits tied to Sunday mornings. The bill repeals these rules so that broadcasters may sell and run advertising on those days just as they do at any other time. In plain terms, it lets free-to-air TV and radio stations carry ads during periods when they have long been required to stay ad-free. It mainly affects broadcasters, the advertisers who buy airtime, and audiences who currently experience ad-free programming on those days.
This is a Government bill promoted through the media and communications portfolio. The argument for it is that the restrictions are relics of a different media era: audiences now watch and listen across streaming and online platforms that face no such limits, so the rules simply disadvantage local broadcasters while doing little to protect the days themselves. Removing them is estimated to give struggling New Zealand media companies in the order of several million dollars a year in extra revenue and a more level playing field with global platforms. The argument against is that it commercialises days with religious, cultural or commemorative significance, eroding a rare ad-free respite; critics also say the modest revenue will not meaningfully fix the deeper financial problems facing local media.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.