‘Lack of a level playing field’: Media companies submit to ABC and SBS inquiry
Yesterday afternoon, a number of submissions into the competitive neutrality inquiry into Australia’s national broadcasters were published. Mumbrella’s Zoe Samios and Paul Wallbank unpack some of the lengthy entries and look at the recommendations proposed.
The government inquiry into the competitive neutrality of national broadcasters ABC and SBS has published a number of submissions from rival media companies.
Born out of a deal between One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s government, which was made to pass the media reforms bill in September last year, the inquiry focuses on a number of areas.
Specifically, the inquiry is focused on the application of competitive neutrality principles to business activities of the two public broadcasters: the ABC and SBS.
Working in media, perhaps I have a bias however, above all media I value the ABC and SBS and am very uncomfortable with the idea of any government restricting or directly controlling either one.
How can the ABC and SBS be competitors when they are publishing actual, factual news and not celebrity bullshit and Murdoch propaganda? I agree though they are not on a level playing field as they only have the backing of tax dollars and a pissweak Australian government in comparison to the 36 billion dollars of Rupert.
Exactly what I was thinking. A billionaire media mogul who has had the printed news wrapped up for decades. Turnbull (how much does he hide in the Caymans?) ffs!
This has to be a joke, doesn’t it? Turnbull and Murdoch in bed together whining because someone dares to challenge them?
News Corp moaning about about not having a level playing field. What? They run most of the print media and over-dominate it. Now they want the same with television?
Screen Producers Aust whining about the ABC and SBS having a disproportionate influence commissioning 46% of all productions. No mention that if they didn’t much of them wouldn’t have happened and/or have been of the same outstanding quality.
What a joke. I would gladly pay an annual subscription to the ABC/SBS consortium where there is real value. Never, ever, will Fox get one cent from me. It’s rubbish.
There are two ways to deal with competition.
Whinge.
Or get better.
It sure is not a level playing field.
The commercial broadcasters are not required to broadcast to all of metro, regional, rural and remote Australia.
They also don’t have to provide television, radio and online.
They also are not allowed to take advertising money (thank goodness).
They are required to broadcast news, parliament and religion.
Let’s see how the commercial broadcasters would go with those mandatories to name a few. They simply don’t know how good they have it. And yes to the neo-cons, I know the ABC is publicly funded, but given the grants and tax concessions the broadcasters get so are they to at least some extent (remembering fondly the Goanna in the 1991 House of Representatives Select Committee Enquiry into the Print Media Industry).
When it comes to reporting the truth and being level with the right and left wing media which is so heavy to the left at the moment i fined it very hard to see a level playing field here and all media out lets should take a real good look at themselves especially the ABC and SBS.
Lets face it, Terrestrial Television in it’s current form probably won’t exist in another 10-15 years. So with News Corp and Free TV Australia lobbying the Australian Government to effectively shutting down the online presence of the ABC and SBS, would basically mean they would no longer exist.
And to that extent I think that’s their end game and especially now that they have a sympathetic Government in power, any review will be politically skewed to the detriment of the ABC,SBS and the Australian people.