Foxtel’s Kim Williams hits out at ‘bone-headed protectionists’

Tim Burrowes

May 20, 2010 1:59

Foxtel boss Kim Williams has renewed his attack on the government’s special treatment of the free-to-air television industry.

Taking questions after speaking at a business event is Sydney, he railed against “bone-headed protectionists”.

He added: “I live in confident optimism that these bastions of dumb thinking will be brought down.”

In February, communications minister Stephen Conroy announced plans to provide FTA networks with a licence fee rebate that would save them an estimated $240m.

Subscribe to keep reading

Join Mumbrella Pro to access the Mumbrella archive and read our premium analysis of everything under the media and marketing umbrella.

Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.