Bills Digest no. 30 1976
Broadcasting and Television Amendment Act (No. 2)
1976
WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Bill.
CONTENTS
Passage History
Purpose
Summary
Implications
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Passage History
Broadcasting and Television
Amendment Act (No. 2) 1976
Date introduced: 4 November
1976
House: House of Representatives
Short Digest of Bill:
The purpose of the Bill:
To amend the Broadcasting and
Television Act 1942 to exclude present and future newspaper
investment from radio and television holdings.
Summary:
Clause 2 would have provided that a new section 90S be inserted
after section 90R in Division 2 of Part IV of the Principal Act
which would have stated that Parliament approves the principle that
either directly or indirectly it is undesirable that a person who
has a substantial financial interest in a newspaper should also
have, either directly or indirectly, a financial interest in a
commercial broadcasting station.
Clause 3 would have provided that a
new section 92 KB be inserted after section 92KA in Division 3 of
Part IV of the Principal Act which would have stated that
Parliament approves the principle that it is undesirable that a
person who has either directly or indirectly, a substantial
financial interest in a newspaper should also have either directly
or indirectly, a financial interest in a commercial television
station.
Implications:
After the Bill was read a first time
Mr. Keating moved that the Bill be read a second time. By leave,
debate ensued. The Question then being put, the House divided Ayes
31, Noes 81, and so it was negatived. The Bill sought to deal with
problems which Mr. Keating described as: (1) the undesirable
concentration of ownership of the Australian electronic media in
the hands of newspaper monopolies , and (2) the arbitrary nature of
the power which is available to proprietors to fix the priorities
on public issues .
K.I. Inglis
5 November 1976
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services
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ISSN 1328-8091
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