New Media Law Reforms Proposed by Conroy

Australian print and online news organisations will be self-regulated through voluntary membership of a press standards body, under media reforms proposed by the Federal Government today in a press release by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Mr Conroy.

According to the Press Release, the reforms are part of the government’s official response to the Convergence Review and Finkelstein Inquiry into the media in Australia and include:

• A press standards model which ensures strong self-regulation of the print and online news media.

• The introduction of a Public Interest Test to ensure diversity considerations are taken into account for nationally significant media mergers and acquisitions.

• Modernising the ABC and SBS charters to reflect their online and digital activities.

• Supporting community television services following digital switchover by providing them a permanent allocation of a portion of Channel A.

• Making permanent the 50% reduction in the licence fees paid by commercial television broadcasters, conditional on the broadcast of an additional 1490 hours of Australian content by 2015.

There have been varying reactions from media bodies and government MP's alike and experts are commenting that "It’s a departure from what Finkelstein was recommending. He wanted an independent, publicly funded body overseeing the media. That’s been brushed aside in this model."

More information can be found at:

• The Conversation

• The Sydney Morning Herald

• Government Press Release

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