MEAA submission to the Senate Inquiry into Media Diversity
This is MEAA’s submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications Inquiry into Media Diversity in Australia.
MEAA views this inquiry as an important means to creating a more diverse and open media sector, rebuilding trust, and creating a sustainable and ethical sector that benefits all of those involved – consumers, journalists, advertisers, owners.
In this submission, MEAA calls for:
• Amend competition and other laws to prevent mergers that lead to more harmful levels of media concentration.
• The Australian Government must urgently progress the Mandatory News Media Bargaining Code and extend the operation of the Public Interest News Gathering program[1].
• The Australian Government should review and adapt critical measures recommended in the United Kingdom and Canada such as: directly funding local news; offering taxation rebates and incentives; and part-funding editorial positions.
• Government assistance should be reset to ensure funding is available for new media organisations, as well as traditional media companies.
• Public Broadcasters must be funded in a way that acknowledges the need to provide comprehensive, high-quality cross-platform media content in all parts of Australia.
• AAP’s future should be sustained through regular, annual relief grants.
• Regulation of media content should be strengthened and overseen by a single entity.
MEAA submission to the Senate inquiry into Media Diversity
Last update: January 19, 2021
