New Zealand Parliament Passes Legislation to Scrap Advertising Restrictions, Boosting Local Media Revenue

Advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays will soon be scrapped as legislation passes third reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

We need to level the playing field by ensuring local media companies are not disadvantaged by restricted advertising times which don’t apply to digital streaming platforms.

This change could help a sector facing intense competition, with industry estimates showing this could generate approximately $6 million annually.

These restrictions have become increasingly redundant as a growing share of audiences turn to streaming services for their news and entertainment. New Zealand on Air data shows YouTube was the most popular platform in the country last year, reaching 43 per cent of the population daily.

New Zealand’s media sector has been calling for this change for a long time, and this Government has done it.