AUSTRALIAN MEDIA ORGANISATIONSbellarinescmedia.weebly.com/.../aust.mediaownership.pdf ·...

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AUSTRALIAN MEDIA ORGANISATIONS I can describe characteristics of Australian media organisations and discuss the social, cultural and industrial framework within which such organisations operate Australian Media Organisations will be broken up into three main areas: Australian Media Ownership Australian Film Industry Australian Media Regulation You will have a range of tasks to complete in each section before completing a research task and oral presentation for the SAC. AUSTRALIAN MEDIA OWNERSHIP

Transcript of AUSTRALIAN MEDIA ORGANISATIONSbellarinescmedia.weebly.com/.../aust.mediaownership.pdf ·...

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AUSTRALIAN MEDIA ORGANISATIONS

I can describe characteristics of Australian media organisations and discuss the social, cultural and

industrial framework within which such organisations operate

Australian Media Organisations will be broken up into three main areas:

➤Australian Media Ownership ➤Australian Film Industry ➤Australian Media Regulation

You will have a range of tasks to complete in each section before completing a research task and oral presentation for the SAC.

AUSTRALIAN MEDIA OWNERSHIP

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AUSTRALIAN MEDIA OWNERSHIP

Australian Media ownership is broken up into THREE main areas:

➤ GOVERNMENT: Government media organisations are those owned by the government. In many countries, government ownership equates to government control of the media, but not in Australia.

➤ COMMUNITY: Australian Communication and Media Authority allocates television and radio frequencies to community broadcasters. Community media organisations are usually funded by the government, membership and advertising

➤ COMMERCIAL:Commercial media organisations are privately owned companies that compete to make profits through advertising and program sales.

Government owned Media Organisations in Australia’s independence is protected by legislation. They MUST remain independent.

In Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Special Broadcasting Corporation (SBS) are both owned by the federal government.

The ABC’s editorial independence is enshrined in legislation. The act specifies that the ABC must maintain an “independent national broadcasting service”. The ABC is also prohibited from broadcasting advertisements to ensure that it maintains independent of commercial interests.

According to the Special Broadcasting Services Act of 1991, the responsibilities of

Because the Australian government recognises the importance of the mass media to politics and society, the Australian Communication and Media Authority

allocates television and radio frequencies to community broadcasters

Community media organisations are usually funded by the government, membership and advertising. Content is usually created by unpaid volunteers.

Channel 31 is a community television station that broadcasts in a number of Australian cities, including Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney and Perth.

According to Channel 31 Melbourne’s constitution, the organisation aims to: “Encourage community based participation and training in the production and transmission of television programs and for the encouragement of art, sport,

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Commercial media organisations are privately owned companies that compete to make profits through advertising and program sales

KEY

Associated newspaper

NORTHERN TERRITORY

SOUTHAUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

TAS

WESTERNAUSTRALIA

ACT

VICTORIA

NEW SOUTHWALES

Adelaide

Brisbane

Sydney

Current at 13 January 2017

Media interests Rupert Murdoch

acma.gov.au

Geelong Melbourne

Darwin

Hobart

Cairns

Townsville

Gold Coast

Controller

Media operation

Associatednewspapers*

News CorpAustralia

* Other newspaper interests that are not ‘associated newspapers’ under the control rules include The Australian, The Weekend Australian,

The Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Herald Sun, Sunday Mail (Brisbane), Sunday Mail (Adelaide),

Sunday Tasmanian and Sunday Territorian.

Warwick

Toowoomba

MaroochydoreGympie

Maryborough

Bundaberg

Gladstone

Rockhampton

Mackay

Ipswich

Lismore

Grafton

Daily TelegraphFraser Coast ChronicleGeelong AdvertiserHerald SunNorthern Territory NewsSunshine Coast DailyThe AdvertiserThe Bundaberg News MailThe Cairns PostThe ChronicleThe Daily ExaminerThe Daily MercuryThe Courier MailThe Gold Coast BulletinThe Gympie TimesThe MercuryThe Morning BulletinThe Northern StarThe ObserverThe Queensland TimesTownsville BulletinWarwick Daily News

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KEY

Associated newspaper

NORTHERN TERRITORY

SOUTHAUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

TAS

WESTERNAUSTRALIA

ACT

VICTORIA

NEW SOUTHWALES

Perth

Adelaide

Brisbane

Sydney

Current at 13 January 2017

Media interests Lachlan Murdoch

acma.gov.au

Geelong Melbourne

Darwin

Hobart

Cairns

Townsville

Gold Coast

Commercial radio

Commercial television

Gosford

Warwick

Toowoomba

MaroochydoreGympie

Maryborough

Bundaberg

Gladstone

Rockhampton

Mackay

Ipswich

Lismore

Grafton

NORTHERN TERRITORY

SOUTHAUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

TAS

WESTERNAUSTRALIA

ACT

VICTORIA

NEW SOUTHWALES

KEY

Perth

Adelaide

Melbourne

Brisbane

Sydney

Commercial television

Shareholder only

Commercial television

TEN

Media operation

AdelaideBrisbaneMelbournePerthSydney

11111

TENTENTENTENTEN

Licence area

No. of licences

Current at 9 September 2016

Media interests James Packer

acma.gov.au

Services* (by on-air ID)

* Primary service for each commercialtelevision licence is given.

Regional Queensland

Western Zone

South West & Great Southern

Geraldton

Kalgoorlie

Southern NSW

Regional Victoria

Northern NSW

Mildura/Sunraysia

NORTHERN TERRITORY

SOUTHAUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

TAS

WESTERNAUSTRALIA

ACT

VICTORIA

NEW SOUTHWALES

PortHedland

RemoteWestern Zone

Karratha

Geraldton

Bunbury

Perth

Adelaide

Melbourne

Brisbane

Kalgoorlie

Sydney

KEYCommercial radio

Associated newspaper

Commercial television(controller)

Commercial television(shareholder)

Controller

Commercial television

Seven WestMedia

Commercial television

Prime MediaGroup

Commercial radio

Seven WestMedia

Associatednewspapers**Seven West

Media

Media operation

AdelaideBrisbaneMelbournePerthRegional QldSydney

BunburyGeraldtonKarrathaPort HedlandRemoteWestern Zone

The Kalgoorlie Miner

The West Australian

111111

777777

122

2

2

SpiritRed FM, SpiritRed FM, Spirit

Red FM, Spirit

Red FM, Spirit

Shareholder only

* Primary service for each commercial television licence is given.Includes joint ventures between Prime Media Group and WIN ( 9 Geraldton,

9 Kalgoorlie, 9 South West & Great Southern, 9 Western Zone and 9 Mildura).

Licence area

No. of licences

Services* (by on-air ID)

Geraldton KalgoorlieMildura/ SunraysiaNorthern NSWRegional VictoriaSouth West & Great SouthernSouthern NSW Western Zone

222

1

1

2

1

2

GWN7, 9 GWN7, 9PRIME7, 9

PRIME7

PRIME7

GWN7, 9

PRIME7

GWN7, 9

Current at 5 December 2016

Media interests Kerry Stokes

acma.gov.au

** Other newspaper interests that are not ‘associated newspapers’ under the control rules include The Sunday Times.

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WHY DOES OWNERSHIP MATTER:

1.Decision Making

2.Democratic Process 3.Political Influence 4.Political Accountability 5.Corporate Accountability 6.Community Voice

1. We make important decisions about issues based on information obtained from the mass media. We need a diversity of views and opinions so we are informed and make the right decisions.2. In democratic societies like Australia, we use the news media to make decisions about who will represent us in parliament and pass laws on our behalf. A diverse and objective news media is crucial to help us make the right decision. According to the Centre for Democracy and Governance, the media is essential to a healthy democracy for two key reasons: “First, it ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. Second,

CURRENT MEDIA OWNERSHIP LAWS- BROADCAST SERVICES ACT 1992

➤ Television:

A person must not control television broadcasting licences whose combined licence area exceeds 75 per cent of the population of Australia, or more than one licence within a licence area.

Foreign persons must not be in a position to control a licence and the total of foreign interests must not exceed 20 per cent There are also limits on multiple directorships, and foreign directors

There are 56 commercial television licences. The main operators, together with the percentage of the population that their stations reach, are as follows: ➤ the Seven Network (Seven Network Ltd) has 6 licences reaching 73 per cent ➤ the Nine Network (PBL) has four licences reaching 52 per cent ➤ Network Ten (Ten Network Holdings Pty Ltd) has five licences reaching 66 per cent ➤ Southern Cross Broadcasting (Australia) Ltd has fifteen licences reaching 42 per

cent

➤ WIN Television (WIN Corp P/L) has fourteen licences reaching 26 per cent

➤ Prime Television Ltd has nine licences reaching 25 per cent.

It should be noted that the three major networks are also broadcast by stations that they do not own, so that their actual reach and influence is greater than would appear from the above figures.

The national broadcasters, the ABC and SBS, also have television networks that reach most of the population. On average, the ABC is watched by around 13 million people each week. Over 7 million people watch the SBS each week.

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CURRENT MEDIA OWNERSHIP LAWS- BROADCAST SERVICES ACT 1992

➤ Radio:

A person must not be in a position to control more than two licences in the same licence area.

Multiple directorships are also limited

CURRENT MEDIA OWNERSHIP LAWS- BROADCAST SERVICES ACT 1992

➤ Subscription Television Broadcasting Licence

A foreign person must not have company interests exceeding 20 per cent in a broadcasting subscription licence, and the total of foreign company interests in any licence must not exceed 35 per cent.

CURRENT MEDIA OWNERSHIP LAWS- BROADCAST SERVICES ACT 1992

➤ Cross Media Ownership (2 out of 3 rule)

a person must not control:

• a commercial television broadcasting licence and a commercial radio broadcasting licence having the same licence area

• a commercial television broadcasting licence and a newspaper associated with that licence area

• or a commercial radio broadcasting licence and newspaper associated with that licence area.

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THE ROLE OF ACMA

The administration of the Broadcasting Services Act is the responsibility of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

Some of the major findings on ownership and control include:

➤ an April 1995 determination that although Mr Kerry Packer held 17.7 per cent of the Fairfax newspaper group he was not in a position of control because Mr Conrad Black had a higher percentage interest

➤ approval of the overseas CanWest Global Communications' purchase of the Ten network. The ABA determined that subordinated and convertible debentures were not company interests in the terms of the legislation. Although CanWest financed 57.5 per cent of the equity capital invested in the purchase, its voting rights were restricted to 15 per cent. In April 1997, following a number of share transactions and Board membership changes, the ABA determined that CanWest now controlled Ten and ordered it to take action to remedy the breach

➤ a March 1999 finding that Mr Brian Powers and Mr Kerry Packer were not in breach of the cross-media rules with regard to their interests in Fairfax.

➤ In 2011 ACMA found a breach of radio directorship limits: Mr Murdoch was appointed as a director of Prime Media Group Limited (Prime), which is in a position to exercise control of Hot91/4MCY in the Nambour radio licence area. At that time, Mr Murdoch was also a director and a controller of a number of companies which were in a position to exercise control of Nova 106.9/4BNE and 97.3/4BFM in the Brisbane radio licence area.

AUSTRALIAN MEDIA REGULATION

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AUSTRALIAN FILM INDUSTRY