Media laws shake-up closer
The Abbott Government is close to deciding whether to pursue controversial media ownership laws that could trigger a new wave of industry mergers.
The West Australian understands there are expectations the Government will decide before the May Budget on scrapping historic cross-ownership rules.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull is said to be in favour of axing the "two-out-of-three" and so-called reach rules that restrict how many media outlets and platforms one company can own in a market.
Late last year Mr Turnbull appeared to admit surrender on any push for media reform, saying he wanted consensus from rival media companies before attempting to change the laws.
But it is believed the Government is again being asked to consider the case for changes.
Many in Government believe the media ownership laws are outdated and restrictive but question whether Prime Minister Tony Abbott has the capital to pursue such a hotly contested shift. The two-out-of-three rule prevents a single media entity owning more than two of a newspaper, a television station and a radio licence in the same market.
It is seen as stopping companies such as Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation from full ownership of a TV station such as the Ten Network, a merger that would create a media behemoth.
The reach rule prohibits a company from owning broadcasters that reach more than 75 per cent of a population. Deals would still have to pass competition laws.
Mr Turnbull has argued that both rules are outdated, given the growing delivery of news and entertainment via the internet.
It is unclear if the Opposition would support changing the ownership rules. Former Labor communications minister Stephen Conroy previously said the reach rule should be axed.
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