Govt tipped to act on Reach Rule
Is the govt set to introduce media reform amendments before Christmas?
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
More reports have emerged that the Turnbull government is likely to move on the reach rule, before Christmas.
Fairfax Media suggests Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is preparing to propose amendments to media regulation to Parliament that will include scrapping the reach rule and possibly the two-out-of-three rule.
The reach rule limits a media organisation to accessing 75 per cent of the population while the two-out of-three rule stops any one group owning more than two of a newspaper, commercial TV licence or radio licence in a large market.
Regional networks, unhappy with out-dated laws, claim Seven and Nine streaming of their channels underlines a need for media reform.
The newspaper suggests some Opposition MPs are concerned that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation could be able to buy up more assets and strengthen its grip of local media should the two-out-of-three rule go.
Regional networks Prime Media, Southern Cross Austereo, WIN Corp and Imparja, have argued any buyer of a regional television network would be required to maintain the station’s local news services at existing levels.
But last week WIN confirmed more job losses in Ballarat as its news presentations moves to Wollongong.
2 Responses
Unlike some people i dont hold grave fears for diversity on regional tv broadcasters. The quality of the internet in the regional areas is pitiful and the NBN satelites will not fix that. So the thought or worry of the internet eroding the viewers is crap. Now when the internet is good in regional areas as they are in the city then they have something to worry about. I really dont think this new decision will make any difference. The real issue in the country is the proposed increase to the GST.
“Regional networks Prime Media, Southern Cross Austereo, WIN Corp and Imparja, have argued any buyer of a regional television network would be required to maintain the station’s local news services at existing levels”
All Seven and Nine (and Foxtel?) have to do is wait 12 months before buying any regional affiliates and there will hardly be any local news service left to maintain.