Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

The government appreciates the importance of local commercial broadcasters in regional and remote Australia, including the role they play in providing local news and current affairs. The Save Our Voices campaign reflects the concerns of regional commercial TV broadcasters that the existing media control rules are hampering their efforts of competing effectively in the media marketplace.

It is important to note that, irrespective of any changes to the media control and ownership rules, local content on regional commercial television and radio will be preserved through existing licence conditions on regional commercial TV and radio licensees. These conditions require commercial television licensees in major regional television licence areas and commercial radio licensees in most regional radio licence areas to broadcast minimum levels of local content. The government is committed to maintaining these arrangements to ensure that local news and information in regional Australia remains available to audiences.