media reform, page-15

The article below was published in The Australian just a couple of hours ago.

It appears that the Media Reform legislation will get through, hopefully tomorrow or Thursday.

Cheers.....................Daicosisgod
ABC to be ‘transparent’ under One Nation deal


One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson has offered the government backing for media reforms.

The Turnbull government has clinched a deal with One Nation over its media reform package that will force the ABC to be more transparent about staff wages and “fair” and “balanced” in its reporting.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said her party had offered the government “conditional support” in exchange for a trifecta of sweeteners, including the ABC changes, greater community radio funding and foreign ownership reporting.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield’s office confirmed the statement put out by Senator Hanson was correct.
After months attacking the ABC, Senator Hanson said the government had agreed to pursue a number of measures to ensure the public broadcaster increased its regional focus, financial transparency and political impartiality.
“One Nation has been at the forefront calling for more transparency of wages at the ABC and we have received assurances from the government that they will be asking the ABC to start providing details of the wages and conditions of all staff, who’s wages and allowances are greater than $200,000, similar to what is being implement by the British Broadcasting Corporation,” Senator Hanson said.
“The government has also agreed to undertake a competitive neutrality inquiry into the ABC and to legislate a requirement for the ABC to be ‘fair’ and ‘balanced’.
“And most importantly the government has agreed to greatly enhance the ABC’s provision of services to rural and regional Australians.”
Senator Hanson said an extra $12 million would be provided to community radio stations to support the digital rollout of community radio and extra funding for industry capacity and skill development.
“I have always been a big supporter of community radio, we need to ensure that Australian communities, both regional and city have access to a diverse and independent voice. More often than not community radio is that voice, so it is vitally important that they are supported and well-funded,” she said.
“While I’ve had a hot and cold relationship with what many call ‘fake news’ media, there’s nothing fake about my very real concern for the future of our Australian media.”
The One Nation deal will almost certainly rule the Greens out of the equation after they demanded the government increase funding for the ABC and SBS by “millions”.
Without support from Labor and the Greens, the government will need to win over 10 of the 12 Senate crossbench senators for the bill to become law.
The bloc of three Nick Xenophon Team senators have previously offered in principle support while David Leyonhjelm, Derryn Hinch and Cory Bernardi have also said they would back the package.
It is unclear if the new deal will change any of their votes.
In confirming the deal, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the terms of the agreement included a requirement on the ABC Board to have two non-executive directors with a rural background.
The deal would also see the ABC Charter amended to “explicitly require a focus on regional Australia” and require the board to establish a regional advisory council.
Senator Fifield said the parts of the deal which would increase the ABC’s provision of service to regional areas were inspired by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie’s proposals.
Senator Fifield said the laws will give Australian media “a fighting chance”.
Media execs react to deal
Media executives cautiously welcomed the announcement on Tuesday, awaiting the news of the positions of the other crossbenchers needed for the changes to pass.
Ten Network Chief Executive Officer Paul Anderson said Senator Hanson had showed concern for the future of Australian media.
“Ten Network welcomes One Nation’s announcement that it will support the reforms and, in particular, we welcome Senator Hanson’s real concern for the future of Australian media,” he said in a statement to The Australian.
“In making this decision, One Nation has recognised that the media landscape has changed completely in recent years and that these reforms are vital if we are going to have a strong local media industry going forward.”
A Channel Nine spokeswoman said the network was pleased by One Nation’s decision to support the law changes.
“We welcome One Nation’s support. This is much needed reform and we hope that others will also support this very important reform.”
Some ABC staff expressed displeasure over the deal on Tuesday.
“Just so our MPs know, the ABC is already required by law to be impartial,” ABC journalist Rafael Epstein said in a tweet which attached the ABC’s duties of the board.
The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance came out against the agreement with Senator Hanson. MEAA CEO Paul Murphy said the competitive neutrality inquiry was “a dangerous step” and said the changes were “flawed”.
“The government has succumbed to the baiting of One Nation senators and their obsession with one of Australia’s most trusted and respected institutions,” Mr Murphy said.
“The ABC must not be a political football. It already has a Charter that sets out its responsibilities, and inquiry after inquiry has amply demonstrated how well the public broadcaster performs its duties, despite the constant hectoring of a politically-motivated few who mount their attacks in order to appeal to their own political base.”
Pamela Longstaff, Acting CEO of Commercial free-to-air TV lobby Free TV Australia, welcomed One Nation’s support for the bill.
ABC bargaining chip for Greens
Earlier, The Greens stepped up their demands as the government tries to win crossbench support for media reforms, with the minor party declaring it will only back the package if funding for the ABC and SBS is increased by “millions”.
Negotiations over the media reform bill, which has unanimous industry backing, have reached a critical stage and the government and key independents are hopeful of clinching a deal this week.
With Labor opposed to the legislation, the government will need to gain the votes of the Greens or One Nation and the Nick Xenophon Team to drive the reforms through parliament.
In a move designed to cut One Nation from negotiations, Greens leader Richard Di Natale said his party had made it clear to the government it wanted more support for the public broadcasters worth “millions” of dollars.
“We are petrified that the government will step in, do a deal with the ABC that attacks the charter, unpicks the critical function of our public broadcaster and SBS and will take a hatchet to the funding envelope in the next triennial funding arrangement,” he said.
“There’s a choice on the table here: the government either goes with One Nation and Nick Xenophon and they take the hatchet to the ABC, or they come with the Greens and we get a greater investment in funding in the ABC and SBS.”
A major sticking point for the Greens, One Nation and Labor has been the repeal of the so-called two-out-of-three ownership rule, which prevents a proprietor controlling a television network, radio station and newspaper in the same market.
Senator Di Natale said his party could support abolishing the rule if a number of “conditions” were met.
“First and foremost is a greater investment in the ABC and SBS, our national broadcasters. We want Australian stories being told and that’s why it’s so critical to have some funding for local content. We want public interest journalism to be resourced,” he said.
“If they can hand out $30 million for Foxtel, no strings attached, then sure as hell they can give additional funding for the ABC and SBS.”

Greens leader Richard di Natale says he wants more financial support for public broadcasters.
South Australian senator Nick Xenophon has suggested a “compromise” package of measures designed to get Greens support, including tax breaks for publishers with revenue of less than $30 million and an inquiry into the impact of Google and Facebook on journalism.
A Greens spokeswoman earlier said the party could support “refined” versions of the measures but the tax breaks would have to be implemented so they could not be gamed by larger media organisations.
Under this scenario a publisher could not apply for the tax cut for a specific masthead if the entire organisation earned more than $30m.
“There’d have to be caps across the whole entity,” the spokeswoman said.
“We’re working out how it can’t be dodged effectively, so it can’t be worked around by bigger players and associates ripping off the taxpayer.”