Independent MP Zoe Daniel has taken her motion for an inquiry into media diversity to Parliament, lodging it with the House of Representatives this afternoon. It comes just two weeks after Lachlan Murdoch launched defamation proceedings against Crikey following the publication of a series of lengthy legal demands by his lawyers.
The motion will be introduced to the house tomorrow, calling for a judicial inquiry with the powers of a royal commission to investigate the concentration of media ownership in Australia. In the motion, Daniel cited concerns about journalists losing their jobs, regional areas losing their newspapers, and the lack of a “fit and proper person” test in the Broadcasting Services Act, as there is in the United Kingdom.
“One company has a 59% share of the metropolitan and national print media market by readership,” she wrote (referencing the Murdoch media empire).
“Only Egypt and China have a greater concentration of newspaper ownership.” Daniel was referring to a 2016 study called “Who Owns the World’s Media?”.
The motion calls for the inquiry to be able to call witnesses and compel them to produce requested documents; examine whether the Australian Press Council and Australian Communications and Media Authority are fit for purpose; commit to funding the Australian Associated Press; establish independent and permanent funding for emerging news ventures, especially in regional areas; and abide by the independent process for appointments to the boards of the ABC and SBS.
The motion was seconded by fellow independent MP Monique Ryan.
Zoe Daniel doing what Timmy Wilson never had the guts to do.
Another independent demonstrating their worth.
I hope this enquiry will look into the way the media organisations cross reference each other. With certain ABC programmes there is now almost a closed loop between News Ltd taking roles as commentators on ABC programmes. It seems that the ABC budget has been so gutted they no longer have the resource to develop their own content so they are forced to piggy back on the narratives being pushed by News & Nine.
That will exercise the spines of the non-murdoch pollies.
While I understand and agree with the sentiment, I expect that no matter what emerges from such an enquiry, nothing can be done about it. Of any substance that is.
There is no licensing of the Digital or Print Press. Any legislation of outcomes from such an enquiry, controlling the media would, more than likely, be vilified as “controlling the media” and/or be ruled as against Common Law. It would be seen as a witch hunt across the board but particularly by the “Freedumb” brigade. The Government would be on a hiding to nothing.
While the Commonwealth is able to impose conditions on broadcasting licensees, its legislative reach over print media ownership is largely limited to general competition law and foreign acquisitions. These acquisitions by Newscorpse were reviewed and passed by the ACCC so its hard to now argue they reduced competition.
Additionally, the right to freedom of opinion and expression is contained in articles 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Australia is a signatory.
Love them or hate them, I suspect the Newscorpse empire is here to stay.