The Turnbull Government’s media reform legislation today passed through the House of Representatives, the next step towards changes to the legislation that regulates Australia’s media industry. However there are more steps to be taken before the changes become law.

While then legislative changes are mostly aimed towards television, they will also have  knock on effects for radio companies, especially Southern Corss Austereo, whcih owns regional tv stations as well as radio stations, and perhaps Austalia’s smaller regional radio groups.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield believes these reforms “are vital measures that will unshackle Australia’s media industry from redundant laws and allow it to respond to increasing international competition.

“The reforms are designed to support Australian jobs, strengthen local content obligations, and bring our media laws into the digital age.”

However, according to Fifield, “the passage of media reform continues to be delayed by the actions of the Labor Party. Labor has ensured that this legislation has been tied up for four months in two separate Senate inquiries. If the Labor Party took the challenges faced by Australia’s media industry seriously then these reforms would have passed in March.”

The Communications Minister says his government “remains committed to ensuring passage of this legislation through the Senate and will continue discussions with the crossbench.”