CANBERRA, March 12 (Reuters) – Australia’s Communications
Minister Stephen Conroy announced on Tuesday plans to revamp
media laws, including a new public interest test on media
mergers and acquisitions.
But Conroy delayed a decision on changes to media diversity
rules, which currently ban a television licence holder from
reaching more than 75 percent of the national audience. He said
the proposal would be referred to a parliamentary committee for
further examination.
Any change to the diversity ownership rules is likely to
prompt a new round of broadcast mergers, with reports that radio
and rural television network Southern Cross Media Group Ltd
is already in talks over a possible A$4 billion merger
with city-based Nine Entertainment.
That deal would mean Southern Cross would sever its existing
ties with the Ten television network. The affiliation
agreement with Ten is due to expire in June.
On March 4, Southern Cross said it was reviewing a number of
strategic options, but at that time mergers with metropolitan
television networks were prohibited under media ownership laws.
