Media quality under threat: Marino

Forrest MHR Nola Marino has spoken out against the Federal Government’s proposed media law changes, saying she supported the region’s media outlets and regional broadcasters in the face of the wide-ranging reforms.

She said regional people deserved quality reporting in a diverse media landscape which supported local content “without the threats that these laws would impose”.

“Freedoms of speech and of the press are bedrock values of our democratic society and journalists deserve the right to continue their work unimpeded by severe regulations,’’ Mrs Marino said.

The Government wants to introduce a public interest media advocate (PIMA), who would ensure press councils uphold proper standards and consider big media mergers and acquisitions.

But Mrs Marina said the professional standards of journalism, testsed over centuries, already dealt with privacy and fairness and should not be regulated by a government-appointed advocate.

WIN Television boss Andrew Lancaster said this week cricket coverage was under threat if the Government scrapped the law that stopped the metropolitan TV networks from merging with regional broadcasters.