MASS MEDIA POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Seven Media boss warning on evil forces

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 3 : 30-Oct-24

Seven West Media’s director of news and current affairs, Anthony De Ceglie, says the federal government should "definitely" designate Meta under the news media bargaining code before the upcoming election. De Ceglie has also warned that social media platforms represent the biggest threat to traditional media outlets, and urged the government to "step up" to help the industry. He added that artificial intelligence platforms such as ChatGPT are also a major threat to news outlets.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, META PLATFORMS INCORPORATED

Labor concerned Meta may sidestep obligations to pay for news as media bargaining code fight reignites

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Original article by Josh Butler, Amanda Meade
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 23-Oct-24

Seven West Media and Nine Entertainment have rejected a parliamentary committee’s recommendation to impose a ‘digital platform levy’ on big technology companies such as Google and Meta. The two media groups contend that rather than introducing a so-called ‘tech tax’, the federal government should use the existing provisions of the news media bargaining code to ‘designate’ such companies. Meta contends that the committee’s report ignores the realities of how its social media platforms work and the value they provide to news publishers.

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SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, META PLATFORMS INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Free TV networks push for anti-siphoning laws to include streaming services

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Original article by Parker McKenzie
The New Daily – Page: Online : 14-May-24

Australia’s free-to-air networks have joined forces to launch the ‘Free for Everyone’ advertising campaign. The networks are urging the federal government to update the nation’s anti-siphoning laws to specifically include streaming services. They argue that the existing laws only guarantee that major sporting events are broadcast on linear TV rather than the streaming platforms of FTA networks, and at present there is nothing to prevent companies such as Netflix from buying the exclusive digital broadcasting rights to flagship events. The networks note that many consumers now watch broadcast TV via the internet rather than using a traditional aerial.

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NETFLIX INCORPORATED

Get tough with Meta: ex-insider

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Original article by Gus McCubbing
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 19-Mar-24

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen says the federal government should engage directly with Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg regarding its decision to abandon revenue-sharing deals with local news publishers. Haugen says Zuckerberg controls the social media giant, and his opinion is the only one that matters. She adds that Meta could and should pay for news content, and she argues that Australia needs to play hardball with Meta, given that the nation led the way globally with its news media bargaining code. Haugen will address the Australian Cybersecurity Conference in Canberra next week.

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META PLATFORMS INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK

Frydenberg urges Labor to negotiate with Zuckerberg over media deal

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Original article by Jessica Yun
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 13-Mar-24

Goldman Sachs Australia chairman and former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg has weighed into the debate over Meta Platform’s decision to not renew content deals with news publishers. He says public interest journalism faces a "billion-dollar black hole" as a result of Meta’s decision. Frydenberg adds that the federal government needs to talk with the leaders of companies such as Meta. Frydenberg notes that he held direct negotiations with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google Sundar Pichai when the initial deals via the news media bargaining code were secured in 2021.

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GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, META PLATFORMS INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Streaming quotas may violate FTA

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Original article by Jared Lynch
The Australian – Page: 22 : 6-Feb-24

The federal government is under renewed scrutiny over its plans to impose local content requirements on streaming video services, which are largely based in the US. The Computer & Communications Industry Association has warned that local content quotas could constitute a breach of the free-trade agreement between Australia and the US. Amazon in turn notes that some of its TV shows and documentaries that are filmed in Australia will not qualify as local content because they were not produced under the complete control of Australians. Amazon adds that a quota system would increase production costs.

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COMPUTER AND COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED

Government clamp on AI likely to be part of new media deals

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Original article by Jared Lynch
The Australian – Page: Online : 19-Dec-23

The federal government has endorsed the five recommendations that arose from a review of the news media bargaining code. The government has advised that another review of the code is slated be completed in early 2025, with the aim of ensuring that it remains ‘fit for purpose’ in a rapidly evolving technology environment for news publishers and digital platforms. Artificial intelligence technology was not specifically mentioned, but it may well be included in the next review. News Corp CEO Robert Thomson argued earlier in 2023 that media companies should be compensated when their content is use to train generative AI platforms.

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NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Free-to-air TV beats streaming giants for events

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Original article by Zoe Samios, Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 29-Nov-23

The federal government will shortly introduce a bill giving effect to its ‘prominence’ framework for local broadcasters. The legislation will require manufactures of smart TVs to prominently display the channels and apps of free-to-air networks on their interfaces. Streaming companies often pay to have their apps appear in prime positions on connected TV interfaces. The legislation will also include changes to the anti-siphoning rules for major sports events, with free-to-air networks to be given priority in discussions regarding broadcast deals. The government also intends to add women’s sports and para-sports to the anti-siphoning list.

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Free TV in push for prime spot on screens

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Original article by Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 6-Mar-23

Australia’s commercial free-to-air networks have described prominence on connected TVs as the most important regulatory issue facing the industry. The federal government wants to legislate to ensure that the apps of local networks are pre-installed and prominently displayed on TV sets. However, Free TV Australia believes that the legislation should go further, and mandate that the apps of local broadcasters are displayed first on the home screens of connected TVs. Foxtel has criticised the networks’ push, contending that it constitutes a "free ride on Aussie consumers".

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FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Media bosses unite to push government on press freedom

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Original article by Nick Bonyhady
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 28-Feb-23

Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus met with executives from Australia’s major media groups on Monday to discuss a range of issues, including proposed changes to privacy laws. The executives also pushed the goverment to act on recommendations that resulted from raids on the ABC and the home of then News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst in 2019, with Drefyus saying he had been shocked by the raids at the time. Other issues discussed at the meeting included increased protection for whistleblowers and further changes to defamation laws.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS