Govt approves licence fee cuts, local content rules.
Federal MPs have passed two of the Government's contentious media reform bills.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
In a late night session of Parliament, Federal MPs passed two of the Government’s contentious media reform bills in the Lower House.
The two bills that passed pertain to commercial TV licence fees and the level of local content on broadcast.
The Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill 2013 halves the annual license fee for commercial TV networks, making it a maximum of 4.5 per cent of gross earnings.
A Greens amendment that would have doubled the local content requirement was defeated with Labor and the Coalition voting together.
The local content bill has been bitterly opposed by industry lobby groups SPAA, MEAA, ADG and AWG.
Other bills as part of the government’s media reforms face stiff opposition.
The Government’s proposal to establish a new watchdog called the Public Interest Media Advocate, who is appointed by the minister of the day, seems doomed to fail.
A proposal suggested by independent MP Bob Katter wants to ensure the advocate is appointed by a committee of eminent citizens, including senior journalists, Aboriginal representatives and retirees – not politicians.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is personally negotiating last minute amendments to the package with five crossbenchers.
4 Responses
Those two bills were not contentious, they are just formalising the status qou, with a small increase in local content on the secondary channels, and reflect the economic reality of a contracting FTA sector.
Despite what the self-interested lobby groups and the political lobbyists the Greens, say there will not be less local content but more.
The primary channels will contain more local content not less, because local Breakfast, News & Current Affairs, Reality TV, infotainment and Sport are what gets large enough audiences to make money these days.
The secondary channels don’t generate any extra viewers or revenue, they take it away from the primary channels. And with 3% shares they are never going to bring in enough money to fund more than a handful of hours of new local content. Neighbours continues to exist solely because of its overseas sales and did so when it didn’t even count for the local drama quota.
Overseas shows no longer rate well, apart from a couple of blockbusters like TBBT, Downtown Abbey and Revenge. And viewers should have the choice to watch some of the best TV shows in the world, despite what the local lobbyists and Greens think.
Labor what a waste of time!
It will do nothing to stop the rot that is free to air TV. What is Australian content? UK/US former stars judging/hosting talent shows? More infomericals? More repeats of Aussie TV shows to meet the quota?
When it comes to free-to-air I see the following…
Commercial networks:
The need to Import judges from US/UK. Really? There is enough talent to select a full Australian judging cast.
Government networks:
Constant funding hogging from the elite few (Chasers, Chris Lilley, Paul Fenech, etc.). Future funding should prioritize in only providing support to ‘new undiscovered talent’ not to those who should by now be able to sell themselves and concepts to the commercial networks.
So both major parties flush Australian content reform down the toilet yet again while giving the free to airs a licence fee discount. We can only thank politicians decades ago who enshrined local content because in this environment there’d be nothing. Neighbours and Home & Away would never have been made let alone all the other Aussie dramas we’ve loved over the years. And all the free to air spectrum including the new digital channels were given to these companies for no upfront fee. Who needs Eddie Obeid when you’ve got these guys in Parliament. And well done to the Greens. No wonder the Establishment hates them.
How surprising. No opposition there. Libs wouldn’t want to upset their media mates by opposing that bit. All in favour of a 50% cut in licence fees.