Current media laws were designed for an analog world

Speaking to Fran Kelly on Radio National breakfast, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the proposed new media laws about about making sure media laws reflect the world we currently live in.

“I think it’s a case of making sure that our media laws reflect the reality of the world that we live in. The current media laws were designed in and for an analogue world. When print, radio and TV were just about it.

“Online is a major news source for people throughout Australia. And I think probably people under the age of 30 would be a little bit bemused about us even having a discussion about is there sufficient diversity in the media markets? There is a lot of diversity, there will remain some existing media laws such as the one to a market rule which will only allow ownership of one TV license in a market. The two to a market rule which will only allow an individual or an organisation to have two radio licenses in a particular area. So there are still significant diversity protections. But the greatest protection for diversity is the sheer number of news sources that are available today.”

Questioned about diversity, the Minister said: “we’re still going to have multiple radio stations with their own news sources. We’re still going to have multiple TV stations. We’re still going to have multiple newspapers. We’re going to have online. And the current media laws do not in any way shape or form even address online ownership or online sources of information. So I’ve got to say I’m particularly untroubled by people who say they’re concerned about potential lack of diversity. And let’s not forget about the ABC. If there is a bulwark against lack of diversity, surely the ABC is it.”

Fifield talked about an incentive scheme for regional broadcasters to produce mroe local content, and returned to the topic of the national broadcaster’s importance. So, getting in a plug for the continued existence of her employer, Kelly later asked:

The ABC of course does produce local content. It produces in there in the regions. We have radio stations, we have crews and we have journalists on the ground. Jason Clare again told AM this morning that the ABC becomes even more important to regional Australia after these changes. Do you agree with that and therefore will you guarantee our regional funding? Maybe self-interest at play with that question Minister but I may as well get you on the record.

“Sure Fran. The ABC is and always as been and always will be very important in regional Australia. Which is why at the end of last year there was some sensitivity when there were some changes made by ABC management to regional radio.

“There’s a great sense of ownership of rural and regional ABC radio. And that’s important. So that will continue. But we also want to make sure that we have a good and strong and a viable future for TV in regional areas and that there are good local content protections. So we’re through this legislation introducing new and higher local content protections in the aggregated markets. And in the non-aggregated markets in the major population centres introducing a baseline of local content for the first time.

“So that’s good news for regional Australia.”

 

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