Attitudes to media regulation
Q. The Government is planning to propose new rules about how we regulate the ownership of media in Australia (that is, print, TV, radio and online media). Which of the following statements is closer to your view on media ownership?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| The Government should remove restrictions on ownership and let market forces determine who owns print, TV, radio and online media. |
11% |
7% |
18% |
7% |
| The Government should take greater steps to limit ownership that big media companies currently have over mainstream media (e.g. News Ltd). |
34% |
46% |
21% |
63% |
| The present regulations, which prevent companies owning print, TV and radio in the same market, are about right. |
29% |
27% |
37% |
20% |
| No opinion |
26% |
21% |
25% |
11% |
The largest portion of respondents believe that the ‘Government should take greater steps to limit ownership that big media companies currently have over mainstream media’ (34%), followed by those respondents that believe that the ‘present regulations, which prevent companies owning print, TV and radio in the same market, are about right’ (29%).
Only 11% of respondents favour ‘removing restrictions on ownership and let[ting] market forces determine who owns print, TV, radio and online media’.
Greens voters are the most likely to favour greater regulation of ownership (63%), followed by Labor voters (46%).
Coalition voters are the most likely to favour the status quo (37%).
Government Control of Media ownership
Q. Do you think the Government should have more or less control of media ownership in Australia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | NSW | Victoria | |
| Should have more control | 24% | 29% | 17% | 38% | 28% | 22% |
| Should have less control | 24% | 17% | 30% | 30% | 23% | 29% |
| Has about the right control now | 34% | 38% | 38% | 18% | 34% | 34% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 16% | 15% | 14% | 16% | 16% |
Respondents were evenly divided over whether the Government should have more or less control of media ownership in Australia. 24% think they should have more control and 24% think they should have less – and 34% think they have about the right control.
Greens voters (38%) and Labor voters (29%) are more likely to think the Government should have more control and 30% of Liberal/National voters think they should have less control.
Concern about Phone Hacking
Q. Have the recent events in Britain concerning phone hacking by Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper, made you more or less concerned about the conduct of Australian newspapers?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total more concerned | 51% | 56% | 48% | 68% |
| Total less concerned | 5% | 5% | 4% | 3% |
| Much more concerned | 15% | 19% | 11% | 26% |
| A little more concerned | 36% | 37% | 37% | 42% |
| A little less concerned | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
| Much less concerned | 1% | 1% | >1% | – |
| Makes no difference | 38% | 33% | 44% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 6% | 6% |
Just over half (51%) of respondents are more concerned about the conduct of Australian newspapers following the recent events in Britain. 5% are less concerned, 38% say it makes no difference and 6% stated don’t know.
Green voters were more likely to state that they were more concerned (68%). Labor voters (56%) were more likely than Liberal voters (48%) to state that they were more concerned.
There was no substantial difference between the genders, states or age groups.
Media Ownership in Australia
Q. Rupert Murdoch owns most of Australia’s metropolitan newspapers including the Australian, Herald Sun, the Telegraph and the Courier Mail. Should the Government allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers?
| Total
1 Nov 10 |
Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should allow | 15% | 9% | 8% | 13% | 4% |
| Should not allow | 50% | 58% | 60% | 53% | 76% |
| Don’t care | 26% | 23% | 22% | 26% | 12% |
| Don’t know | 9% | 10% | 11% | 8% | 8% |
58% of respondents stated that the Government should not allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers. This is an increase on the 50% who stated the same thing in November 2010.
Just 9% of respondents think that the Government should allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers (a drop for the 15% who said the same thing in November 2010.
Green voters (76%) were the most likely to state that the Government should not allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers, followed by Labor (60%) and Lib/Nat voters (53%).
Females (62%) were more likely than males (54%) to select ‘should not allow’.
Media Ownership – James Packer
Q. James Packer recently bought a major shareholding in Channel 10. Should James Packer be allowed to become a major shareholder in Channel 10 while he is also a major shareholder in Foxtel?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should be allowed | 28% | 27% | 36% | 18% |
| Should not be allowed | 24% | 27% | 21% | 29% |
| Don’t care | 38% | 36% | 36% | 46% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 10% | 7% | 7% |
Nearly half either don’t care or don’t know whether James Packer should be allowed to become a majority shareholder in Channel 10. Of those with an opinion, views are split 28% should be allowed and 24% should not. 36% of those on low incomes (under $600pw) think he should not be allowed. Comments »
Media Ownership – Rupert Murdoch
Q. Rupert Murdoch owns most of Australia’s metropolitan newspapers including the Australian, Herald Sun, the Telegraph and the Courier Mail. Should the Government allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should allow | 15% | 13% | 20% | 12% |
| Should not allow | 50% | 56% | 47% | 56% |
| Don’t care | 26% | 24% | 25% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 9% | 8% | 8% | 6% |
50% think Rupert Murdoch should not be allowed to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers and only 15% think he should be allowed. Those most strongly opposed were aged 55+ (61%) and people earning over $1,600pw (55%). Comments »
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
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