MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA – REGULATION

Diversity laws ‘outdated’

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 26-Sep-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield argues that existing cross-media ownership laws are outdated as they were introduced before the development of the internet. He adds that the internet has made the issue of media diversity less important, and the continued viability of media companies is the greatest threat to diversity. The Senate committee that is reviewing the Federal Government’s media reform bill accepted submissions until 23 September 2016.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY

Media reform deadline looms

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 19 : 22-Sep-16

The Senate inquiry into proposed cross-media ownership reforms is slated to report its findings on 7 November 2016. Media companies have been given until 23 September to update the submissions they made to a previous inquiry prior to the federal election. Meanwhile, the Opposition has signalled that its stance on abolition of the "two-of-three rule" has not changed following the retirement of Stephen Conroy, who supported retaining the regulation. The Australian Labor Party supports scrapping the "reach rule".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE ARTS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Media changes conservative, says global boss

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 19-Sep-16

IPG Mediabrands’ global CEO Henry Tajer argues that the Federal Government’s proposed cross-media ownership reforms do not go far enough. He say the reforms should encourage consolidation in the sector, noting that Australia has too many media companies given the nation’s population. Tajer adds that the reforms should also take into account global companies that already have a presence in Australia – such as Facebook and Google – and ones that will enter the market in coming years.

CORPORATES
IPG MEDIABRANDS, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, SNAPCHAT INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Coalition backs media reforms

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 23 : 30-Aug-16

The Australian Government will push ahead with cross-media ownership media reforms after the policy was endorsed by the Coalition’s partyroom on 29 August 2016. The legislation will be introduced to Parliament within days, although the Government may need to rely on the support of crossbenchers as the Opposition has yet to decide its stance on abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule. Media industry executives will also hold meetings with the major political parties and crossbenchers in coming days.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, HERALD AND WEEKLY TIMES LIMITED, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL

Ownership reforms still up for debate

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 15-Aug-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has indicated that proposed cross-media ownership reforms will be a priority for the Federal Government when Parliament resumes. However, media industry executives have criticised the Opposition’s push for the reforms to be subject to further review, while Ten Network CEO Paul Anderson and Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks argue that broadcasting licence fees must be included in the reform process.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM

Media law overhaul made priority for Parliament

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 9-Aug-16

The Australian Government will press ahead with cross-media ownership reforms when Parliament resumes on 30 August 2016. There is support within the Australian Labor Party to scrap the "reach rule", although some members of the Opposition have reservations about abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule. The proposed reforms will include local content requirements for regional broadcasters.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE ARTS

Coroner takes aim over privacy

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Original article by Chris Merritt
The Australian – Page: 26 & 28 : 13-Jun-16

The Seven Network’s Bruce McWilliam has expressed concern about the broader implications of a proposal for the inquest into the death of cricketer Phillip Hughes to scrutinise media coverage of the tragedy. He warns that this would give coroners greater power to regulate the reporting of incidents in which people died. The Ten Network’s senior litigation counsel, Tasha Smithies, says it is not appropriate for issues such as breaches of privacy to be handled by a coronial inquest.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NEW SOUTH WALES. CROWN SOLICITOR’S OFFICE, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN PRESS COUNCIL

Ricketson pushes for tougher press regulation

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 26 & 28 : 13-Jun-16

The Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s representative on the Australian Press Council has again weighed into the debate on industry regulation. Matthew Ricketson has advocated changes to the way media companies are regulated, and suggested that regulation of the online media sector is lacking. He was a controversial choice for the MEAA’s representative on the APC, given that he co-authored the Finkelstein report which proposed the establishment of a statutory regulator for the media sector.

CORPORATES
MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN PRESS COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Call for changes gets legal support

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 25 : 23-May-16

Corrs Chambers Westgarth CEO John Denton and Norton Rose Fulbright managing partner Wayne Spanner are among the lawyers who believe that Australia’s cross-media ownership laws are outdated. The Federal Government’s proposed reforms include abolishing the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of three rule", but Denton says the anti-siphoning list for sports broadcasts should also be included in the reform process.

CORPORATES
CORRS CHAMBERS WESTGARTH, NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Bundled reforms await return

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 26 & 28 : 16-May-16

The Australian Government will have to reintroduce its bill on cross-media ownership reform to Parliament if it wins the 2016 election. It is likely to package the reforms with a bill to reduce TV broadcasting licence fees, changes to the anti-siphoning for sports events and the pricing and allocation of broadcasting spectrum. The Government has previously ruled out introducing separate bills to abolish the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule".

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY