Media in plea to vote for reforms

THE heads of Australia’s major news organisations have banded together in an unprecedented call for action on media law reforms.

More than 25 media bosses descended on Canberra yesterday to meet Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for a summit at Parliament House over challenges facing the industry.

The heads of News Corp, Foxtel, Fairfax Media, the Nine Network, Seven West Media, Ten Network and more than a dozen other organisations issued an urgent call for the Senate to pass the Government’s proposed media law reforms amid concerns about rising impact of multinational internet giants on the sector.

A statement signed by the group said change was crucial to bring media regulation into the digital age and preserve the future viability of the sector, which supports more than 30,000 jobs.

“Australian media operators must be allowed to compete more effectively against multinational internet giants that are taking hundreds of millions of advertising dollars out of Australia,” the statement said.

“All Australians benefit from having a competitive and independent media sector that is able to deliver checks and balances.”

The broader package that includes cutting broadcast licence fees, limiting gambling ads in live sports telecasts, repealing the two-out-of-three and 75 per cent audience reach media ownership rules.

News Corp executive chairman Michael Miller told the summit “outdated” media laws were designed to protect against the loss of diversity but their impact in today’s climate had been speeding up the loss of local jobs and stories.

“For many communities, those who oppose these media changes are not preserving a choice between this newspaper or that newspaper, they are choosing a future where by a community may have no voice at all,” Mr Miller said.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the reforms would help sustain news media in the face of competition from social media sites.