A Crisis to Democracy In Australia - Concentrated Media Ownership

Despite Australian media ownership being amongst the most concentrated in the world, at the behest of powerful proprietors, successive Australian Governments have gradually further relaxed media ownership rules. The most recent round was put in place in April 2007 under the Howard Government, where the new 'two out of three' rule meant that companies are now allowed to own up to two media outlets -- television, radio and newspaper -- in a single area.
Momentum is growing for an inquiry into the Australian media industry in the wake of the News of the World phone hacking scandal.
Australian mass media is concentrated into the hands of a very small number of proprietors. For example, 11 of the 12 major newspapers in Australia are owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation or John Fairfax Holdings. In fact, Murdoch bestrides the Australian media landscape like a colossus—NewsCorp owns 8 of that 12, and also dominate the regional and suburban newspaper publishing industry, as well as owning a major slice of Foxtel.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Australia
• Media
• Corruption
• Concentration
• of
• Ownership