Senate debates
Monday, 22 February 2010
Questions without Notice
Telecommunications
2:12 pm
Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source
As I was just saying, Mr Rupert Murdoch—someone the opposition leader wants to like him—has made the statement when he told a News Corp shareholder meeting late last year that broadcast stations ‘can no longer be supported solely by advertising revenues’. Respected analyst Roger Colman noted last week:
Not only did profitability decline by half for most of the TV networks in fiscal ‘09, but more importantly, their relative share of advertising … has fallen 33 per cent since 2005.
In the face of this structural change and the arrival of the converged media environment, it is imperative that the government protects Australian content. Local content production is expensive. It costs around $800,000 to produce an hour of Underbelly or Packed to the Rafters. In contrast, it costs only $100,000 to buy an hour of Two and a Half Men. (Time expired)
Adam P
Posted on 16 Mar 2010 9:42 am
Hiding behind the "protecting local content" argument is a complete lie because the handout does not comewith any actual protection or incentive to support local content.
Surely this should have been granted as a reward for carrying out the action it is designed to encourage. e.g. Proportional to the amount of local content aired, or based on measurable increases in local content?
This rebate does nothing whatsoever to encourage more "underbelly", and "less to and a half men".
I agree with the common perception that this is purely and simply a bribe to gain favourable treatment in the upcoming election, and believe this to be corruption of the absolute highest order.
Put it this way: how is this any different from delivering the same amount of money in briefcases full of $100 bills?