The following is today’s full statement from Paul Keating, following the announcement of a merger deal between Nine and Fairfax.
The kind of merger announced today between Channel Nine and Fairfax was bound to happen the moment the cross-media legislation introduced by the Hawke government 30 years ago was suspended.
The so-called cross-media rule gave Australia 30 years of media diversity, especially between Australia’s major television networks and its capital city print.
Those barriers in the wholesaling of news, underwrote diversity of opinion, guaranteeing an altogether better informed and livelier public debate.
The absence of those legislative barriers, in the media free-for-all, the Turnbull government is permitting, will, because of the broadly maintained power of those outlets, result in an effective and dramatic close down in diversity and with it, opinion.
It is true that the technology has brought myriad voices to a public eager for diversity of information. But the atomisation of web-based content, much of it other than local, cannot in terms of impact, be compared with the big local media players, particularly in consolidations of the kind announced today.
News of today’s announced takeover of Fairfax by Channel Nine will change the news landscape of Australia altogether.
Notwithstanding the obvious disruption that international platforms like Google and Facebook have made to advertising and traditional media revenues, the answer for Australia is diversity of income streams for Australia’s majors and not a closedown in news and content with major print being taken over by major television.
This is an exceptionally bad development.
Fairfax spent decades missing all the signals about the rise of the digital economy when it could have put itself in a position of relative commercial independence. That notwithstanding, the current management has, in the circumstances, done a better than reasonable job in creating income sources to allow the company to preserve its editorial independence, especially in print.
But, if in the announced arrangement, Channel Nine has a majority of the stock, Channel Nine will run the editorial policy.
The problem with this is that in terms of news management, Channel Nine, for over half a century, has never, other than displayed the opportunism and ethics of an alley cat.
There has been no commanding ethical or moral basis for the conduct of its news and information policy.
Through various changes of ownership, no one has lanced the carbuncle at the centre of Nine’s approach to news management. And, as sure as night follows day, that pus will inevitably leak into Fairfax.
For the country, this is a great pity.
And, of course, if the government really had its way, Australia would face this much closed down and managed landscape without an ABC other than it is today – an independent national broadcaster.
On competition grounds and that of the imperative of local diversity, the Competition Commissioner should put this proposal under high scrutiny.
Of course, the current managements of Nine and Fairfax will scream enhanced media diversity via the web – news and views everywhere. And, of course, some of this is true.
But what the BBC says about Britain or internationally, or on the other side of the Atlantic, the likes of CNN or The New York Times, has mostly but a tangential impact in its relevance to Australia, its national interest and most particularly, its polity.
The big wholesalers of news and information in Australia have always had the dominant impact. They have been the big dogs on the block. Today’s announcement means that in future, they will operate as a pack.
The cross-media rule at least split that dominance, giving the community various streams and alternatives within which to think. And now, for a very long time.
Today’s announced takeover of Fairfax by Channel Nine brings the big wholesalers back with a vengeance. And with it, were it to be permitted, a major shutting in of diversity.
So should I ditch my subscription to The Age?
That depends on how interested you are in “Scotty” Cam and renovations or Karl Stefanovic and his latest adventures in loopyland. There will be cross promotions!
Rather than criticise the Libs for doing what it is in their DNA to do it would probably be a lot more helpful if the left took a long hard look at themselves and the politicians they support and ask how their side of politics allowed this situation to develop.
The left as exemplified by Keating have zero tactical nouse or capacity to play the long game in politics. The people they elect are far too often in it just for themselves (see Husar as just the latest example).
There’s no point blaming a tiger for doing what comes naturally to it. You need to elect Shepherds that can protect their flock or expect to get eaten alive by the predators
what a load of rubbish – biased rubbish
No, Danny is correct…the LNP are in it for the long and vicious game, but like a cancer their greed will not stop until the host is dead.
So why are you blaming the ALP for the avariciousness of the libs? If you were a lib and your brother labour should he be expected to keep you in line?
I mean by this; should your brother be held accountable for your actions.
Keating would be rolling around in his grave at your labelling of him as “left”, were he dead of course.
The rest of your post makes even less sense.
Wow. So somehow you manage to blame a result that came about purely through legislation from the coalition government on the Left side of politics for not stopping the legislation. And just how do you do this in a democracy when you don’t have the numbers?
Do you honestly think that the only people who are in it just for themselves are from one political party only!! Yes Husar is a timely reminder but there has been a plethora of examples from all parties and independents. Chopper Bishop for example and more recently Barnababy. Then there is the continuing revolving door of PHON members moving in and out of their party for purely self serving interests. Then of course we’ve just had Downer in the South Australian by-election who thought the seat should be her’s purely because she is a member of the political ruling class elite and should be handed the seat without even fronting the media and public to explain her policy agenda. Didn’t have one of course. You don’t need policies when you’re a born to rule Tory.
Your view of the left being exemplified by a centrist like Keating shows you have little political nouse. Your contention that it is in the libs DNA to be anti competition when it comes to media diversity (a result of their legislation), puts a lie to their supposed libertarian ideology and reinforces the view that they are the defenders of the rich and powerful and will do anything to stifle criticism.
You and your ilk need to take a long hard look at yourselves and the politicians you support and ask how your side of politics allowed this to happen. Or is this in fact what you actually wanted to happen. Pardon me if I seem confused by your nonsensical post.
You would like to think an independence of view and editorial choice will survive – or won’t get any worse with the takeover. But Keating’s warning makes you think twice. I don’t characterize it as being ‘of the Left’. I think it’s just a warning from a bloke with a nose for these things. And on the other hand – media is just another business nowadays that needs not to be too shackled in strategic planning. Hmmm. Dunno.
Paul Keating is right. If this merger is approved the big winner will the Murdoch media empire. Murdoch now controls most of the print, TV, and online media in Australia.
Through shell companies and other back-door methods Murdoch is one of the biggest share holders of channel Nine. If this merger goes ahead he will control 99.9% of Australia’s media. He will become the most powerful man in Australia and will be able to control governments and tip them in and out of office whenever he likes.
He will dictate policy to whoever is in government because like the Nazi Goebbels he will control a vast propaganda machine to sway peoples minds.
This merger will be a disaster for Australia.
And while all this is going here, he has made a multi billion take over bid for Sky news in England.