Stephen Conroy: Rupert Murdoch’s wisdom made me give all that money to the free TV networks
Stephen Conroy has cited Rupert Murdoch’s public comments about the economics of television as one of the reasons he decided to give Australia’s TV networks a multi-million dollar discount on their licences.
When the announcement was made in February that the networks were getting the unexpected discounts, amounting to more than $200m, the Government cited a need to guarantee local content as the reason for giving free TV the leg-up.
The decision to give free TV the money created a furore, particularly in the pages of Murdoch’s News Ltd papers and from pay TV player Foxtel, in which Murdoch’s News Corp is a quarter owner. Foxtel has not received any similar government subsidies.
But in newly published transcripts from this week’s Senate Estimates Committee, Conroy said that although he has never met him, Rupert Murdoch’s views influenced him to hand over the money.
Clear Dirty Digger can see dire implications of www merging with TV – whereas its obvious Senator Conroy cannot.
Think massive electronic Tsumami – once it hits – things will never be the same again.