media cross-ownership laws in Australia

Discuss the free speech justifications for cross-media ownership laws in Australia and consider whether these laws are relevant in the age of increasingly diverse media sources. Consider the arguments for and against the current proposals for reform.

When Paul Keating made his famous remark about restricting media barons power so they could only be ‘Queens of the screen or Princes of Print’, he was referring to the division of power under law that would make sure no-one media conglomerate could own both a newspaper and a television station in the one city. The emergence of a liberal government and changing societal structures has seen the debate about media cross-ownership raise its head again as parliament sees a proposal that would allow ownership across mediums. Proponents for the bill argue that free speech justifications are nonsensical in the age of increasingly diverse media sources, however those against the bill worry that it will create a monopoly and lead to an undesi...