lecture notes week 5

	Sign In Sign-Up

LECTURE NOTES WEEK 5

Australian Media Policy Media Ownership: Who Owns What?

Why is ownership so important?

1) Cultural Issues:

There is an argument that foreign ownership of our media will destroy
cultural identity.
Linked to the notion that people learn cultural identities through the
media.

2) Economic Issues:

Does foreign ownership mean that profits will necessarily flow out of the
country?
Does foreign ownership pose a problem as far as employment is concerned?

3) Information Issues:

Does a concentration of ownership affect the diversity of views expressed?
Can a concentration of ownership lead to excessive political influence?

Who keeps a watch on ownership in Oz: the ABA

1) Cross-media Limitations: A person must not…..

be in control of both a commercial broadcasting licence and a commercial
radio licence in the same area.
be in control of either a commercial TV or radio licence and a newspaper
associated with the licence area of that licence.

2) Audience Reach: A person must not

Be in control of commercial TV broadcasting licences whose total licence
area population exceeds 75% of the population of Australia
Be in control of more than one commercial TV broadcasting licence in the
same licence area.
Be in control of more than two commercial radio broadcasting licences in
the same licence area.

NOTE: The ABA may allow a licensee to provide a second television service
if there is only one commercial television licence in a given licence area.

3) Foreign Ownership:

A foreign person must not be in a position to exercise control of a
commercial TV licence
Two or more foreign persons must not have interests in a TV broadcasting
licence exceeding 20%
Not more than 20% of the directors of a commercial TV licensee may be
foreign persons.
Foreign persons must not have company interests exceeding 20% in a
subscription TV broadcasting licence.
A foreign person must not have company interests in a subscription TV
broadcasting licence which when added to interest held by other foreign
persons exceeding 35%

Radio: Broadcasting Services Act places no restriction on foreign control
of commercial radio broadcasting licences.
The Role of the ABA:
The ABA is "charged with the responsibility of dealing effectively with
any breaches of the ownership and control rules established by the Act".
On application, the ABA is required to provide a written binding opinion
about whether a person is in a position to exercise control over a licence.
However, acquisitions of controlling interests through share transactions
or the transfer of licences are not subject to approval by the ABA.
The ABA may give prior approval to temporary breaches for specified
periods of all control and directorship limits, except for limits on
foreign control of commercial TV broadcasting licences.
ABA is required to keep a register of the information it acquires,
including notifications of changes of control of licences.
What can the ABA do?
Most frequent response is to conduct an investigation, in which it is
supposed to follow the "quickest and most recommended procedures in the
circumstances".
Investigations can be initiated through ABA operations or by a public
complaint, but it will not investigate complaints it considers to be
"frivolous, vexatious or not made in good faith".
Investigations are not "public"; information about the progress of an
investigation is not usually made public during the investigation.
Information may be released through the media at the discretion of the ABA.
However, hearings held in public may form part of the investigation
process. Hearings are conducted by a panel of ABA members chosen by the ABA
Chair. (Conflict of interest?)
If a breach is found, ABA will issue a notice calling for action to be
taken. Licences may be fined up to $200 000 for a breach of licence
conditions, and up to 2 million for failure to comply with notices.
Who Owns What?

TELEVISION:

Seven Network (Kerry Stokes and Lend Lease)
5 Metro and 1 regional
Ten Group (TNQ, GCS, Shareholding Netherlands, AMP Society)
5 Metro stations
Nine Network Ltd (Publishing and Broadcasting)
3 Metro and 1 regional
Prime Network (Ramsey)
8 Regional
Telecasters Australia (Colonial Investment, Permanent Trustee Ltd.)
5 Regional
Southern Cross Broadcasting (Ten Group, N.M. Rothschild)
4 Regional

RADIO:

Austereo (Village Roadshow, Kirby Family)
11 Metro, 3 regional
Australian Radio Network (Australian Provincial Newspapers + Clear Channel)
8 Metro, 3 Regional
RG Capital Australia (R.R. Grundy)
1 Metro, 9 Regional
DMG Radio Invesments (Daily Mail and General Trust)
1 Metro and 53 Regionals
Broadcast Operationsd (Caralis Family)
26 Regional
Radio Superhighway (J. Singleton)
2 Metro
2KY (NSW ALP Branch)
1 Metro, 2 Regional

Cross-Media

News Ltd.
PAY TV: 25% in Foxtel, 33% in Sky News, PRINT: 67.6% share of national
dailies, 75.6% share of Sunday newspapers, 46.2% share of suburban newspapers,
FILM: Fox Studios (with Lend Lease), NEW MEDIA: News Interactive.
Publishing and Broadcasting
TELEVISION and PAY TV: 4 Broadcast Stations plus 25% in Foxtel, 33% in Sky
News. PRINT: 43% share of magazine circulation, FILM: Village Nine Leisure
(Coin Ops near cinemas), NEW MEDIA: NineMSN.
Fairfax
PRINT: 21.5% share of national newspapers. Publication of three major
magazines. NEW MEDIA: Fairfax@Market, Fairfax Information Network, CitySearch.

Mark J. Finn
Associate Lecturer
School of Film, Media and Cultural Studies
Griffith University
Nathan, Qld, 4111.

Email: m.finn@mailbox.gu.edu.au
Room: 2.44, Level 2 Humanities Building
Phone: 3875 7434
Mobile: 0412 248 150