Uphill fight for media bill

THE Howard Government's long-awaited legislation to lift restrictions on media ownership also seeks to regulate -- uniquely in peacetime -- newsroom operations.

However, the bill, introduced yesterday by Communications Minister Richard Alston, faces defeat or severe alteration in the Senate at the hands of Labor and the Democrats.

Foreign ownership of the media would be covered by general foreign investment policy;

Common ownership in the same market of newspapers and TV would be permitted, under strict new rules, and;

Exemptions from the cross-media ownership restrictions would require commitments from broadcasters to prescribe minimum levels of local news and current affairs.

The bill -- opposed by many Coalition MPs, especially those from rural and regional electorates, who fear it will undermine local ownership of regional TV and newspapers -- was immediately referred to a Senate committee.

One senior National Party MP told The Australian his colleagues had agreed to allow the bill to be introduced to avoid embarrassing John Howard, who had promised during the election campaign to overhaul the media ownership laws.

Labor and the Democrats, who have the numbers to defeat any legislation in the upper house, said the bill contained no surprises.

Nothing in the legislation was likely to cause the Democrats to reverse their opposition to changes to the media laws that could undermine diversity of media ownership, a party representative said.

A spokesman for Democrats communications spokeswoman Vicki Bourne said: "On face value it looks pretty much as advertised, so basically we don't see anything in it that would make us change from our position."

Labor communications spokesman Lindsay Tanner condemned the Coalition's plan, saying the regulatory arrangements "create a framework for government interference in the activities of the media that would constitute a direct threat to freedom of the press".

While Labor is yet to consider the bill, the party is likely to vote down proposals to permit exemptions to the rules that ban common ownership of newspapers and TV stations in the same market.

The plan would grant exemptions to proprietors who agreed to conditions aimed at ensuring each outlet had its own newsroom, such as:

Separate news management, news gathering and interpretation capabilities.

But the Government's proposal to administer certificates of exemption through the Australian Broadcasting Authority, headed by leading monarchist and Coalition supporter David Flint, triggered a sharp reaction.

"Senator Alston's system of offering exemptions is blatant window-dressing, and would be administered by a man who recently called for Australia's media moguls to be unshackled from the media ownership laws," Mr Tanner said.

Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader John Anderson gave the bill only lukewarm support.


	Government News Index site index HOME Uphill fight for media bill By Ian Henderson The Australian 22mar02 THE Howard Government's long-awaited legislation to lift restrictions on media ownership also seeks to regulate -- uniquely in peacetime -- newsroom operations. However, the bill, introduced yesterday by Communications Minister Richard Alston, faces defeat or severe alteration in the Senate at the hands of Labor and the Democrats. Under the Government's proposals: Foreign ownership of the media would be covered by general foreign investment policy; Common ownership in the same market of newspapers and TV would be permitted, under strict new rules, and; Exemptions from the cross-media ownership restrictions would require commitments from broadcasters to prescribe minimum levels of local news and current affairs. The bill -- opposed by many Coalition MPs, especially those from rural and regional electorates, who fear it will undermine local ownership of regional TV and newspapers -- was immediately referred to a Senate committee. One senior National Party MP told The Australian his colleagues had agreed to allow the bill to be introduced to avoid embarrassing John Howard, who had promised during the election campaign to overhaul the media ownership laws. Labor and the Democrats, who have the numbers to defeat any legislation in the upper house, said the bill contained no surprises. Nothing in the legislation was likely to cause the Democrats to reverse their opposition to changes to the media laws that could undermine diversity of media ownership, a party representative said. A spokesman for Democrats communications spokeswoman Vicki Bourne said: "On face value it looks pretty much as advertised, so basically we don't see anything in it that would make us change from our position." Labor communications spokesman Lindsay Tanner condemned the Coalition's plan, saying the regulatory arrangements "create a framework for government interference in the activities of the media that would constitute a direct threat to freedom of the press". While Labor is yet to consider the bill, the party is likely to vote down proposals to permit exemptions to the rules that ban common ownership of newspapers and TV stations in the same market. The plan would grant exemptions to proprietors who agreed to conditions aimed at ensuring each outlet had its own newsroom, such as: Separate editorial policies for each media outlet; Appropriate organisational charts, and; Separate news management, news gathering and interpretation capabilities. But the Government's proposal to administer certificates of exemption through the Australian Broadcasting Authority, headed by leading monarchist and Coalition supporter David Flint, triggered a sharp reaction. "Senator Alston's system of offering exemptions is blatant window-dressing, and would be administered by a man who recently called for Australia's media moguls to be unshackled from the media ownership laws," Mr Tanner said. Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader John Anderson gave the bill only lukewarm support. Index