Few voices support media changes
The federal government’s media reforms, which include the lifting of cross-media and foreign ownership restrictions, have come under attack from media groups such as Fairfax Media and
News Corporation as well as National Party MPs and rural-based Liberals. A survey of Alliance members has found that 84 per cent don’t support the media reforms and public opinion surveys also show strong community opposition to the changes.

The government’s Broadcasting Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006 has gone to a Senate committee and the Alliance has made a submission opposing the changes contained in the media reform bills.

The Alliance has also encouraged members to show their opposition to the changes and make submissions of their own. The website www.xmedia.org.au has been reactivated and Alliance members have been sent bumper stickers and campaign posters with the slogan: “Fewer Voices. Fewer Choices. Stand up for media diversity.”

The government’s proposal to permit a reduction of media “voices” to five in capital cities and just four in regional areas has triggered concerns among rural politicians about the impact media concentration would have.

Concentration of regional media is also a concern in the US. Last month it was reported that the US Federal Communication Commission had ordered its staff to destroy all copies of a draft study that suggested greater concentration of media ownership would hurt local TV news coverage.