Australian Parliament Passes New Media Laws

by Mary Swire, for LawAndTax-News.com, Hong Kong

19 October 2006

The Australian Parliament on Wednesday passed media laws that will allow the emergence of a range of new services for Australian consumers, and will safeguard competition in the sector, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, asserted.

“By next year, a range of new services including free-to-air, in-home, digital only channels or even perhaps ‘snack’ television – small segments of TV content delivered over a mobile device much like a mobile phone could be available,” Senator Coonan said.

She then went on to unveil the details of safeguards that have been put in place to protect diversity and local content.

“Media mergers will only be able to take place subject to there remaining five independent media groups in metropolitan markets and four in regional markets."

“Companies will also only be able to own two of the three regulated media platforms – commercial radio, commercial television and associated newspapers. The Australian Communications and Media Authority will enforce the diversity tests and, of course, all mergers will be subject to the approval of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission," she explained.

Although Parliament has passed the legislation to allow a relaxation of the current cross media and foreign ownership restrictions, the Government has not yet announced when these reforms will come into effect.

“The Government will consider a proclamation date for the new laws and is keen to ensure that any opportunities for new investment in the media industry are accompanied by the potential for new services for Australian consumers,” Senator Coonan concluded.

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