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ARTICLE · 10 SEPTEMBER 2006

Competition And Diversity — ACCC Guidance On Media Mergers

Freehills
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In July, Minister Coonan announced proposed changes to the current cross-media ownership and foreign media ownership laws, launched as part of a media reform package. In response, on 9 August 2006 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published its views on protecting competition (and possibly diversity) in the context of anticipated mergers in rapidly developing media markets.

AustraliaAntitrust/Competition Law
Karen Gibbons
Karen Gibbons
Louise Klamka
Louise Klamka

In July, Minister Coonan announced proposed changes to the current cross-media ownership and foreign media ownership laws, launched as part of a media reform package. In response, on 9 August 2006 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published its views on protecting competition (and possibly diversity) in the context of anticipated mergers in rapidly developing media markets.

In legislation currently intended to come into effect in 2007, the government proposes to:

  • amend existing restrictions on cross-media mergers in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to allow cross-media transactions to proceed, subject to diversity protections, to be administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), ensuring a minimum of five commercial media groups in state capitals and four in regional areas

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