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Media and communications

Australian media have a robust tradition of free expression and vigorous analysis of public policy.

Strong competition exists in the newspaper, radio and television industries as well as in online news media. Most Australians live in cities where they enjoy a wide choice of newspapers, magazines, and radio and television services. People living in remote areas have a more limited choice of news and entertainment sources.

The Australian Government encourages media diversity and expansion of access to regional Australia. News Limited and John Fairfax Holdings are the largest newspaper publishers in metropolitan areas, with the Fairfax subsidiary Rural Press having significant penetration in regional areas.

Australian Consolidated Press is the biggest magazine publisher, with 65 titles including mass-circulation women’s magazines and news, trade, lifestyle, sport and airline publications. Pacific Magazines has 16 titles focusing on women’s, lifestyle, fashion, youth and homemaker issues.

On a per capita basis, Australia has one of the highest newspaper and magazine circulations in the world.

The Australian Press Council is the self-regulatory body of the print media. The council is funded by the print media and deals with complaints from the public about newspapers and magazines published in Australia. It also plays an important role in protecting the freedom of the press.

There are 54 licensed commercial television services operating in Australia, including three national networks. Most licensees operate in regional areas and are affiliated with a larger metropolitan network for non-local programming. Australia’s Indigenous commercial broadcaster, Imparja Television, operates out of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, and features a mix of major network and Indigenous programming. There are also two public broadcasters – the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

SBS is a multicultural and multilingual broadcaster. SBS television broadcasts programming in over 60 languages while the national radio service broadcasts 650 hours of programming each week in 68 languages – more than any other radio network in the world.

The ABC comprises two national television services; three national radio networks; a local radio network; a 24-hour news and parliamentary broadcast radio service; Radio Australia, an external broadcasting service to the Asia-Pacific; and Australia Network, an international television service to the Asia-Pacific. The ABC has 14 international bureaux and 28 news correspondents and broadcasts 24 000 hours of news and current affairs material a year across radio, television and the world wide web.

There are currently three main retail pay television service providers in Australia. The largest operator is Foxtel, which provides more than 100 channels to its 1.44 million subscribers. Foxtel’s service is 100 per cent digital.

There are 274 commercial radio licences over more than 100 licence areas in Australia. Major commercial radio network owners include DMG Radio Australia, Macquarie Regional Radioworks, Fairfax Media, the Australian Radio Network, Austereo Pty Ltd, and Broadcast Operations Group.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is responsible for the regulation of broadcasting, radio communications, telecommunications and online content. Its responsibilities include:

Australia’s telecommunications industry is one of the most competitive in the region. Australian businesses and other users have access to a sophisticated and cost-effective telecommunications infrastructure that includes telephone, mobile phone, Internet and broadband services.

The Australian Government is committed to improving telecommunications infrastructure and services in Australia. It has committed to roll-out, in partnership with the private sector, a fibre-to-the-node network delivering broadband services with a minimum speed of 12 megabits per second to 98 per cent of homes and businesses, and will provide up to $4.7 billion in funding.  The Network will be open access to foster stronger competition.  The Government will also ensure ongoing access to quality broadband services for the remaining two per cent.

Mobile telecommunications has been one of the fastest growing markets in Australia, contributing $8.77 billion annually to the Australian economy. At the end of June 2007 there were about 20.8 million mobile phone subscribers, representing a penetration rate of more than 99 per cent.

The majority of Australians have access to Internet services, including broadband. By March 2007 the number of Internet subscribers in Australia was over 6.4 million, with nearly 5.7 million being household subscribers. The number of broadband subscribers was over 4.3 million in March 2007.

Computer use in Australia is also high. In mid-2007, 73 per cent of Australian households had access to a computer at home and 64 per cent had access to the Internet. About 61 per cent of Australians aged 15 years and over accessed the Internet at home.

Sources:
Financial Reports of Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Hutchison.
ABS Cat. No. 8153.0 Internet Activity, Australia, March 2007
ABS Cat. No. 8146.0 Household Use of Information Technology 2006-07

Australia Network

Australia’s regional television service, Australia Network, provides the Asia-Pacific region with high quality, contemporary programming and information about Australia’s engagement with the region, including news, current affairs, documentaries, drama, English-language and lifestyle programs. The Australia Network footprint covers 41 countries from the Cook Islands in the east, north to Japan and west to India. The service is available in 21 million homes and 200 000 hotel rooms across this region, with about 6.5 million viewers per month.

Managed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation under a five-year contract (2006–11), Australia Network provides a three-channel, 24 hours a day service to meet the preferred viewing times of audiences in the Pacific, East Asia and Indian markets. Australia Network is supported by an accompanying website australianetwork.com, with education content attracting half the online visitors.

Australia Network, as well as Radio Australia’s English and regional language broadcasts, are provided free to air via satellite, on the PAS-8, PAS-2 and PAS-10 satellites and through a network of more than 400 re-broadcasters. Australia Network has agreements with many cable TV providers across the region to rebroadcast the channel to local audiences. Viewers should contact the local cable TV provider for details.

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