Conroy outs media, comms review terms

Summary: Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday published the terms of reference for a review of communications and media regulations given the changing technology environment.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday published the terms of reference for a review of communications and media regulations given the changing technology environment.

According to Conroy, being able to access media anywhere, anytime has put a strain on Australia's current regulatory platform.

"The government recognises that regulatory measures designed in the 1980s may not be the most appropriate for the 21st Century. We need to ensure that Australia's regulatory framework continues to operate effectively and appropriately in a converged environment," Conroy said in a statement.

The review aims to drag the regulations into the current era of constant access. Conroy called for interested parties to voice their thoughts.

"Our intention is that the Review will look at all content delivery platforms including broadcast, mobile and fixed telecommunications and the internet," he said. "It would seek to identify appropriate licensing regulations, regulatory obligations and consumer protection arrangements across these platforms."

Consultation on the terms will run until 28 January 2011.

Topics: Government, Government AU, Reviews, Telcos

About

Suzanne Tindal cut her teeth at ZDNet.com.au as the site's telecommunications reporter, a role that saw her break some of the biggest stories associated with the National Broadband Network process. She then turned her attention to all matters in government and corporate ICT circles. Now she's taking on the whole gamut as news editor for the site.

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6 comments
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  • (sigh) Must we repeat ourselves?

    No. Filter. At. All.

    Think of the children -- their future citizenship depends on full knowledge of the world.

    And as for child molesters, find them and incarcerate them. *That's* the way to end that problem. Don't use them as an excuse to pave the way to government suppression of political dissent -- that's throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
    NefariousWheel
  • The review should look at breaking up the monopoly on the providers of news. News Corp. now is the major source as far as print media is concerned and also the internet as NineMSN, Yahoo7 and Google news are sourced on the News Corp reports and have very little other opinions expressed.
    bernard61h
  • Can anybody remember what Democracy was? Democratic government's are supposed to carry out the majority votes from what the people want.
    IF this Australian government still claims itself a Democratic government, then lets VOTE ON IT. The Judge and vote counter will have to be a neutral party not associated with government or owned by the US Gov or company!
    Only then will Australians have their say implemented.
    Otherwise I think it is about time that this Australian government admit that they are no longer a democracy and declare themselves to be what every else that is appropriate that ends in an ISM...
    Victim1
  • Stephen Conroy and the labor government could not organize a decent ****-up in a pub. This Labor government would have to be the most hopeless ever.
    Trevor C
  • @Australian - Australia isn't a Democracy, we are a Constitutional Monarchy. In fact there are no Democracies in the world...
    Voting on every situation would grind the agenda to a halt.
    viditor
  • Go take a look at Sweden where voting on an issue is possible.
    Scott W-ef9ad