PARTY POLITICAL BROADCASTS

Party Political Broadcasts (PPBs) refer to free broadcast airtime for political parties to share their campaigning messages with the voters during the campaign period at the national level.

Political parties that field at least six candidates under a recognised party symbol are eligible for airtime on free-to-air television and radio. Independents and political parties fielding fewer than six candidates under the same recognised party symbol are not eligible for the PPBs.

There will be two PPBs, with each PPB transmitted once on television and once on radio. The duration of airtime will be the same for both PPBs.

The order of the PPBs on television and radio will be determined by the number of candidates fielded by the parties, with the broadcast of the party fielding the least number of candidates aired first, and that fielding the largest number of candidates aired last.

The PPBs must comply with all applicable codes of practice for television and radio. This includes ensuring that the content of the PPBs presents references to race and religion accurately and in a dignified manner. In addition, the content of PPBs should not be slanted by exclusion of facts or by misleading emphasis, and should not be defamatory or criminal in nature.

Political parties must provide their own scripts for all languages that they intend to speak in. Where the script for a particular language is not provided, the political party will not be allowed to deliver its campaign message in that language.

The Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) will hold a briefing session on PPBs to political parties after the Writ of Election is issued. The registration for the first PPB will take place on Nomination Day.

	SUBMISSION OF FILMS FOR CLASSIFICATION

Political parties and candidates who intend to distribute or publicly exhibit films must submit them to the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) for classification, unless the film is exempted from classification. Political parties and candidates, or their representatives, may refer to IMDA’s Integrated Regulatory Information System Classification and Licensing Services webpage for more details.

All films submitted before the issue of the Writ of Election will be processed before Nomination Day. Films submitted after the issue of the Writ of Election will be processed within two working days.

Where clarifications are required on the films, the applicant must respond to IMDA within the timeframe communicated by IMDA in order for the film to be processed expeditiously.

Films that are only posted online during the election period need not be submitted for classification, but they should comply with the other laws (such as the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954) and the Internet Code of Practice.

	PROHIBITION ON PARTY POLITICAL FILMS

The Films Act 1981 prohibits the importation, making, reproduction, distribution or exhibition of party political films. The prohibition applies to all persons and is meant to keep politics objective and rational.

In general, a party political film is a film that (a) is an advertisement made by or on behalf of any political party in Singapore or any body whose objects relate wholly or mainly to politics in Singapore, or (b) is made by any person and directed towards any political end in Singapore.

The Act provides for certain exceptions that would not be considered party political films. The exceptions, which are generally described below, include:

1. Films that record live the whole or a material proportion of any performance, assembly of persons or procession that is held in accordance with the law and that do not depict any event, person or situation in a dramatic way;
2. Films designed to provide a record of an event or occasion that is held in accordance with the law for those who took part in the event or occasion;
3. Documentary films without animation and composed wholly of an accurate account of actual events, persons or situations (but not films based wholly or substantially on unscripted or "reality" type programmes or films that depict those events, persons or situations in a dramatic way);
4. Films without animation and dramatic elements, made by or on behalf of a political party, and composed wholly of the party's manifesto or the policy or ideology on which the party's authorised candidates will seek to be elected to Parliament;
5. Films without animation and dramatic elements, made by or on behalf of a candidate, and composed wholly of the policy or ideology on which the candidate will seek to be elected to Parliament;
6. Films made solely for the purpose of reporting of news by a licensed broadcasting service.

Viewed generally, these exceptions, and in particular the prohibition of dramatisation and animation, are generally meant to allow films that are factual and objective, and do not present a distorted picture of facts.

For example, a film that records live one or more lawful community events involving a candidate, with editorial adjustments (e.g. in the form of music or compilations) that do not distort any facts or otherwise mislead viewers, is generally unlikely to be regarded as a party political film. By contrast, a film containing editorial adjustments that present a distorted or misleading account of any political matter is likely to fall within the definition of a party political film.

All political parties and candidates must ensure that their films do not contravene the law. Persons who make or publish party political films may be subject to investigations and prosecution under the Films Act 1981. If in doubt over the contents of a film, political parties and candidates are advised to consult the IMDA.