As reported earlier on radioinfo, some of the largest media companies have joined together to form a coalition to fight what they see as a gradual decline in free speech.

The group will be called “Australia’s Right to Know coalition” comprises News Ltd, Fairfax Media, the ABC, Free TV Australia, SBS, Sky News, Commercial Radio Australia and AAP.

In a new development the Australian Newspaper has been told that the federal government will bypass this alliance and draft shield law for journalists sources in order to jump the media before they can draw up their own proposals.

The Australian Law Reform Commission have already discussed shield laws at meetings of the standing committee of attorneys-general, however the scheme relies on judicial discretion and has been criticized by the Press Council and media lawyers.

The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) said the shield needed to be accompanied by equivalent state laws and a method of protecting whistleblowers in the federal public service, otherwise they would prove ineffective.

MEAA secretary Chris Warren has said that without those additions, “journalists will still be stuck in the middle facing the risk of jail”.

The federal Government has promised to introduce shield laws before this year’s election. This coincides with the launch of “Australia’s Right to Know” media coalition.