Media Ownership in Australia - Who Owns What?

Well, since Helen Coonan's announcement of the new media ownership laws, the media barons have been dashing to get their hands on some of the booty. No longer do they have to be 'Princes of Print' of 'Queens of the Screen' - removal of cross-media ownership laws means they can have their fingers in a few pies.

The Government's media law changes will allow foreign investors to control Australian media companies. The new laws will also allow local owners to control two of the three main media platforms - newspapers, radio and television - in the same geographical markets.
Source - The Age

Back to the current state of events, starting with the easiest.

The Australian Government owns the ABC and SBS.

Most of the following is taken from

M Armstrong and H Molnar (eds) Control and Ownership of Australian Communication, Media and Telecommunications Policy Group, RMIT, Melbourne, September 1996.

A 1995 Australian Press Council article by Professor David Flint looked at the current ownership laws and discussed the need for reform. There is also a handy table on the site which displays the current media barons and their shares in TV, Radio, Print, (although not internet, as it is a bit old).

According to PM, a ABC Radio National broadcast on 13 January 2005, Channel 10 has reportedly been approached by Fairfax Publishing Group (a previous owner of Channel 7 in Sydney in the 1980s), with key shareholder CanWest Global from Canada of Mr Izzy Asper who currently own 58% of the network are prepared to sell their voting share of 15% to Fairfax. Ten also have an affiliation with Southern Cross and Ten Victoria - rural stations. For more of a history of channel 10.

Channel 7 is owned by News Ltd (Murdoch) with 14% share as well as Kerry Stokes 19%. The network also shares control of MGM studios with Kirk Kerkorian.

Channel 9 is wholly owned by Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) (Packers family) whose controlling shareholder is Consolidated Press Holdings Limited. PBL is also involved in Pay TV, film production, leisure, entertainment and newspapers. Recently it has been in competition with its rural affiliate Win Television in a bid for Newcastle station NBN. PBL also have a 25% share in Foxtel.

Other Sources

Parliament of Australia - Media Regulation Notes - includes information on major media players in Australia.

Inside Business article 'Media Barons to 'road test' new laws'