Competing universes at Senate Committee hearings on media reform

Kevin Rudd's immediate leadership prospects weren't the only things declared dead as the week ended. So too the four media reform bills.

Andrew Wilkie was right to describe the whole process as shambolic, pointing out that all seven crossbenchers were in favour of reform legislation, but not this lot as dished up with a week to take it or leave it, as originally explained.

The failure of the government to make, build, and explain the case for what it was on about, seek some input on what was to be proposed, make adjustments that would improve the bill, and sound out those with vital votes, provides another chapter for that bulging "poor examples" section of someone's policy development case book. What to expect if as has been reported the matter went to cabinet "under the line" without any documentation in advance, after a year or so of silence. It was all downhill from there

What was said in the Senate committee hearings on the reform bills and in submissions won't count for a row of beans now but it was nevertheless insightful into thinking about the media, regulation of any kind, and the current self-regulatory system.

Putting the merits of the fatally flawed proposal to one side, extracts of who was saying what are included below. They include Ray Finkelstein QC and others spelling out the rationale for regulation, self or otherwise, and the use of media power; Margaret Simons defining freedom of speech as a right enjoyed by media organisations only to the extent to which they serve the rights of freedom of speech of citizens; and Julian Disney listing the problems with the Australian Press Council self-regulatory scheme, and others similarly making the point that self-regulation isn't working despite improvements Professor Disney has produced.

On the other hand, we had Kerry Stokes on why the print media should simply be left alone to make money, and the Institute of Public affairs telling the committee the markets are so powerful even self-regulation should just be optional. 

And a couple of others for good measure.

Opportunity lost, big time. Where it goes from here is now entirely in the hands of media organisations themselves. Good luck to us all.

In the meantime these bits shouldn't be confined to the bin.