Media regulation

ALTERNATIVE LABELS
Media governance
Television broadcasting policy


Report

Smart TVs and local content prominence

To support policy development, this report presents detailed evidence about local content prominence on smart TVs. This research has been conducted as part of an Australian Research Council project, and is independent of any industry funding.
Report

Supporting media diversity: Nordic lessons

This report examines how Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland have been able to cultivate a diverse media landscape, and how the lessons learned from doing so could inform the Albanese Government’s strategy on reforming Australia’s media.
Report

News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code: the Code’s first year of operation

The News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code (the Code) was a world-first initiative. As such, its prospects were uncertain when it took effect on 3 March 2021. The Code aims to address bargaining power imbalances to ensure that news businesses receive fair remuneration...
Report

Manifesto for sex-positive social media

This publication sets out guiding principles that platforms, governments, policy-makers and other stakeholders ought to take into account in their design, moderation and regulation practices. It builds upon the generative work currently underway with the proliferation of alternative, independent collectives and cooperatives, who are designing...
Technical report

Reducing the harm from alcohol by regulating cross-border alcohol marketing, advertising and promotion: a technical report

This comprehensive report details the full extent of the way that alcohol is being marketed across national borders – often by digital means – and often regardless of the social, economic or cultural environment in receiving countries.
Guide

Media policy and regulation: a quick guide

This quick guide lists online resources relevant to Australian media legislation, policy administration, standards, ratings research, and industry advocacy. It includes links to selected overseas regulatory bodies.
Policy report

The future of digital regulation in Australia: five policy principles for a safer digital world

As Australia starts to implement much needed digital regulation on a number of issues, there is a need to ensure policy initiatives are joined up and coherent. This document presents five overarching policy principles that could assist policy-makers.
Policy report

Media policy statement: green paper response and next steps

The Australian government has released this media policy statement, which outlines a range of measures to progress reforms to the media sector. The statement represents the government’s response to the reform green paper process that was initiated in late 2020.
Discussion paper

Streaming Services Reporting and Investment Scheme discussion paper

The Australian government is seeking views on the proposed Streaming Services Reporting and Investment Scheme. This discussion paper outlines the proposed design of the scheme, and seeks stakeholder comments on its key components, including definitions, structure and scope.
Report

Report of the Inquiry into media diversity in Australia

Throughout this inquiry, the Committee heard significant evidence that Australia’s system of media regulation is not effective, citing the weakness of its mechanisms, its inconsistent governance arrangements and standards across platforms, and the lack of oversight for digital media.
Report

The edge of the infodemic: challenging misinformation in Aotearoa

This report provides insights from a nationally representative survey of 2,301 New Zealanders on a range of interconnecting issues relating to misinformation and how this may lead to real-world harms and a general loss of trust.
Discussion paper

New tech applications for regulatory outcomes: occasional paper

This paper considers developments in the use of Regulatory Technology (RegTech), including its application in the communications and media sector. This research is intended to ensure the ACMA, as Australia’s communication and media regulator, is aware of current and emerging developments.
Discussion paper

Media reform green paper: modernising television regulation in Australia

This discussion paper outlines the Australian government's next stage of proposed media reforms, to support the Australian media industry and to enhance the range and quality of services and content available nationally. Submissions to this paper are due by 23 May 2021.
Policy report

The influence environment

This report is based on detailed research into 24 Chinese-language media organisations operating in Australia, analysis of their coverage of events, and investigations into the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP's) efforts to influence media in this country.
Discussion paper

Tech-xit: can Australia survive without Google and Facebook?

In the wake of threats by Google and Facebook to scale back or close services in Australia should the federal government proceed with plans to charge them for news content, this report identifies serious risks to Australian businesses, government services and consumers if services are...
Report

Disinformation as a wicked problem: why we need co-regulatory frameworks

Over the past few years, social media platforms, particularly Facebook and Twitter, have received inordinate blame for many of society’s ills, particularly mis- and disinformation. This paper recommends the creation of government fusion cells for online problems, which would centralise expertise and decision-making and serve...
Discussion paper

Utilities for democracy: why and how the algorithmic infrastructure of Facebook and Google must be regulated

This paper provides a framework for understanding why internet platforms matter for democracy and how they should be regulated. The authors describe the two most powerful internet platforms, Facebook and Google, as new public utilities — utilities for democracy — arguing that they should be...
Briefing paper

Q&As: Draft news media and digital platforms mandatory bargaining code

The ACCC has developed this draft mandatory code of conduct to address bargaining power imbalances between Australian news media businesses and each of Google and Facebook.
Submission

Digital Media Research Centre submission to the Supporting Australian stories on our screens options paper

This submission to the Supporting Australian Stories on Our Screens options paper has been prepared by staff from the Digital Media Research Centre at the Queensland University of Technology.
Report

What the Facebook Oversight Board means for human rights, and where we go from here

In May 2020, Facebook announced the inaugural batch of members of its Oversight Board. The Board will be a group of 40 people supported by staff, whose initial task will be to serve as an independent appeals mechanism to have a final say on select...
Working paper

The persuasive effect of Fox News: non-compliance with social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 crisis has renewed concerns about the dangers of misinformation and its persuasive effects on behaviour. The US response to the pandemic is deeply divided along partisan lines. This study measured the effects of cable news in the US on regional differences in compliance...
Discussion paper

Supporting Australian stories on our screens: options paper

In response to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s ACCC Digital Platforms Inquiry, the government requested that Screen Australia and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) co-author this options paper considering how to best support Australian stories on our screens in a modern, multi-platform...
Report

More news is good news: the case against restricting broadcast journalism

In light of the issues presented by ACMA’s inquiry and the debate around news and the media more broadly, this report outlines the case against further regulation of broadcasting, as well as several recommendations on the way in which policy-makers can create a stronger news...
Report

Defence’s management of its public communications and media activities

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness and appropriateness of the Department of Defence's management of its public communications and media activities.
Report

Behind the news: inside China global television network

As China rises, Chinese political elites are increasingly concerned about how it is perceived in the world, and how to shape that global public opinion. This report argues that despite heavy state investment, China Global Television Network (CGTN) has failed to emerge as a significant...