If any Media Reform course in the next 12 Months, here what’s the Populated Area shall own:
Largely Populated areas Sydney and Melbourne: Maximum of 5 Rule. 1 Television, 3 Radio Stations and/or 1 Newspaper.
Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Newcastle, Gold Coast and Hobart: Maximum of 4 Rule. Either 1 Television and 2 Radio Stations or 3 Radio Stations or 1 Television and 1 Newspaper or 2 Radio Stations and. Newspaper.
Rest of Australia, Maximum of 3.
This aside
Why the difference between Sydney/Melbourne and the other capital cities? Moreover, why should the two-out-of-three rule be abolished?
As much as I’m sure the likes of MRN and ARN would like it to happen, I really don’t think that dropping the two station ownership rule for radio (even if only in metro markets) would be a good thing…
With the Gosford and faux Katoomba commercial stations covering most of the Sydney metro area, SCA, ARN and Nova have effectively had three stations each for many years. 
Prospects for media law changes following the non-result in the federal election?
Pretty slim I think. I don’t think anyone will be happy - metro networks, Foxtel and especially regional networks.
I agree. Even after we finally know who’ll be in government, media ownership changes would most likely be pretty low on the agenda for now IMO.
Calls are on for Janet Cameron and Bill Caralis to Merge their Family Owned Businesses and Form a Super Radio Power.
Calls by who??
What happened to the massive Save our voices push - they were relentless - now - nothing
lay off the weed dude.
Looks like Reach Rules are on the agenda again…
Hopefully the Senate passes the media reforms. As some parties or senators are scared about passing the two out of three rule, which would allow News Corp to stenghten its power on Ten
Which radio stations do News Corp own?
Oh dear lord, there’s actually a very good reason for the government to maintain the status quo!
None, however the limiting factor is that Lachlan Murdoch owns Nova Entertainment. As he is also Co-Chairman of News Corp (US), who in turn own 100% of News Corp Australia, this gives him a controlling interest in Radio and Print.
Therefore, neither he, nor his interests can own a share in Ten that would put his controlling share over 14.99%.
Media law shake-up ‘a priority’ for Turnbull government
A Statement From Ten Network On Media Reform
Ten Network Holdings welcomed the re-introduction of the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Media Reform) Bill today and called on the Parliament to pass the bill as a matter of urgency.
Ten Network Chief Executive Officer, Paul Anderson, said: “The Parliament has a simple choice: get behind the Australian media companies that are investing in local content and local jobs and give us a fair chance to compete, or continue to give our big tech competitors a free ride by strangling local media companies.
“The only way to ensure media diversity in Australia is to have strong, viable local media companies and the existing rules are a real threat to that. The foreign-owned tech companies have demonstrated that they are not interested in any meaningful investment in local content or local news, so we need our local voices to remain strong.
“In order to compete, local media companies need to grow, transform and leverage content across multiple platforms, and the current laws – combined with the onerous tax of the world’s highest television licence fees – are arbitrarily stopping us from doing that,” he said.
“By holding us back, these rules are giving the foreign tech giants a major competitive advantage and that is on top of arrangements that mean they pay minimal tax on revenue earned in Australia.
“We are yet to hear any rational argument in favour of keeping the two out of three rule, which only applies to three offline media platforms and doesn’t even recognise the existence of the internet. It is illogical and antiquated and threatens local diversity by constraining Australian media companies in our efforts to grow and compete,” Mr Anderson said.
“We are disappointed that we now face another extended 10-week inquiry into the Bill. After years of debate and discussion we urgently need the Parliament to get behind local voices and give us fairer rules and certainty around the regulatory framework. The existing media rules have to go, and quickly.”
Media reform bill tabled in parliament
The Turnbull government has proposed scrapping the reach rule, which prevents mergers between metropolitan and regional free-to-air broadcasters, and the two-out-of-three cross media ownership law.
But the bill is unlikely to have a smooth path through parliament with Labor not expected to support the abolition of the two-out-of-three rule, which stops anyone from owning a newspaper, free-to-air TV licence and radio station in the same metro market.
Labor will support the reach rule’s abolition in isolation but Communications Minister Mitch Fifield ruled out splitting the package as recently as this week.
It is understood that former communications minister Stephen Conroy is strongly opposed to axing the two-out-of-three rule, although the Labor Party is yet to publicly commit to a view on the issue.
Press release from Prime Media:
PRIME MEDIA CALLS ON FEDERAL MPS TO END THE IMPASSE AND ADDRESS MEDIA REFORM URGENTLY
PRIME Media Group (ASX:PRT) today called upon all Federal members and senators to support the Government’s Media Reform Bill that has been re-introduced into the Parliament today.
Chairman of PRIME Media Group, John Hartigan, said: “We have spent a number of years detailing and explaining the significant structural challenges faced by the regional television industry to many Federal members and senators. We hope that the time has come when they will finally take action.”
“If these reforms are not passed, the Federal parliamentarians who chose to stand in the way of reform need to be prepared to accept the blame for less diversity, the value erosion of Australian media companies and the loss of hundreds of jobs”.
“Free to air television is an important service, especially in regional Australia, where many viewers rely on us for their local advertising, news, sport and entertainment. We urge all parliamentarians to work together and consider what is in the best interests of regional Australia, which deserves a viable and vibrant media sector,” Mr Hartigan said.
PRIME Media Group CEO, Ian Audsley, said: “While Australian-built media companies remain subject to pre-internet rules that are clearly well past their use-by date, international tech giants like Google and Facebook are running rampant.”
“There are two big winners from years of navel gazing and inertia on media reform in this country, and they are Google and Facebook. Their upside is absolutely at the cost of all Australian media businesses,” Mr Audsley said.
Mr Audsley said, “Companies like Google and Facebook are unregulated, pay no licence fees, have no Australian content obligations and no advertising restrictions.”
“It is unfathomable that any member of the Federal parliament would find it acceptable that Australian media businesses continue to operate under these conditions on home soil.”
