“Super Regulator” may replace ACMA

The recommendations of the Convergence Review are due out on Monday and set to have far-reaching impacts on the media landscape.

The independent report was given to the government in March, and will be made public on Monday ahead of the findings the government will decide to legislate sometime thereafter.

The report will cover media regulation, content licenses, Australian content and more. Observers expect many of the recommendations in an interim report to remain intact.

One of the recommendations is likely to be the creation of a ”super regulator” that will effectively swallow the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

‘We are already across most of those issues,” chairman, Chris Chapman, said.

”We’ve worked within those technical standards, we deal with those codes, we have very strong relationships with the stakeholders, and we have a growing confidence as to how to move in that space.

”And I think we’ve demonstrated in the last few years that we’re capable of living in the current regulatory [space].”

ACMA has an annual budget of $111 million and employs 580 staff, already regulates telecommunications, TV and radio broadcasters and content on the internet.

Recently ACMA has noted it does not have the power to fine television networks.

Source: Brisbane Times