Code of Practice for Sports News Reporting

This is the official website of the Code of Practice for Sports News Reporting.

The Code has been established by agreement between major news organisations and sports administrations.

It was established on March 30, 2010, after deliberations of a Senate committee established at the direction of the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.

The Code was created after the Senate committee made a set of recommendations, to which the Government has responded. Its response can be downloaded here.

Following the Senate hearing, the Code was agreed by news organisations and sports administrators with the assistance of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

The Code reports to the Australian Government on its operations each year. Its committee must meet twice a year.

Its purpose is to provide access to legitimate news organisations to cover sport in Australia, regardless of publishing platform; and outline behaviour of news organisations that are not in conflict with the marketing operations and licensing of sports coverage to electronic media.

An explanation of how the Code Works can be downloaded at this site.

A list of the signatories to the Code is published.

The chair of the code is Mr Kevan Gosper AC, representing the International Olympic Committee. The secretary is Mark Hollands, chief executive of the Newspaper Publishers’ Association.

Oversight of the Code is conducted by a committee of the following members: