Sky News has earned a slap on the wrist from the media regulator after a pro-marriage equality advertisement was aired on The Bolt Report without an appropriate disclosure.
The 30-second ad featured a surgeon, surf lifesaver, firefighter and military officer urging politicians to legalise same-sex marriage.
It aired during an ad break for Andrew Bolt's conservative talkshow, and also featured a banner that looped across the bottom of the screen alongside the day's headlines.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority received a complaint arguing the ad should have come with the usual political disclosure. The disclosure announces which person or political party has authorised the advertisement immediately afterward.
After investigating the complaint, ACMA found the ad should have disclosed that it was paid for by Australian Marriage Equality. This was not disputed by Sky News.
The broadcaster told the watchdog the ad was aired without the appropriate authorisation by accident.
"Although reasonable precautions were taken to avoid noncompliance, there was an inadvertent error with the attachment of the authorisation tag in this case," the broadcaster said in its submission.
Foxtel, which airs Sky News, confirmed it fixed the tagging error as soon as it became aware of the mistake. A spokesman said he was confident the error would not happen again.
"Foxtel has discussed the process for the approval of political matter with Sky News and is comfortable that controls are in place to minimise the risk of future errors like this," he said.
ACMA said it was important to ensure ads paid for by both pro- and anti-marriage equality lobby groups carried the appropriate disclosures because same-sex marriage has become a "contentious" and "current" issue in Australia.
It's not the first time the media regulator has come down hard on political advertising that doesn't carry an authorisation tag. Earlier this month, ACMA stung Network Ten after it failed to disclose who had authorised an anti-abortion ad broadcast in Western Australia.
