5086

2004-2005-2006

 

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

 

THE SENATE

 

Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006

 

 

(Amendments to be moved by Senator Bob Brown on behalf of the Australian Greens in committee of the whole)

 

(1)     Schedule 1, item 8, page 7 (after line 17), at the end of section 61AB, add:

             (3)  For the purposes of this Division:

                     (a)  each entity and any related entity of a commercial radio broadcasting licensee or a commercial television broadcasting licensee is deemed to be worth one point in accordance with section 61AC;

                     (b)  related entity in this subsection has the same meaning as in section 26-35 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 .

[related entities]

(2)     Schedule 1, item 8, page 10 (after line 7), at the end of section 61AC, add:

             (3)  Despite anything to the contrary in this section, a commercial radio broadcasting licensee or a commercial television broadcasting licensee which broadcasts a content of 20% or less comprising comment (where comment includes news, current affairs, issues of public opinion and talkback radio) in any 24 hour period, is deemed to not be worth one point for the purposes of this section.

[voice test]

(3)     Schedule 2, item 7, page 54 (line 31) to page 55 (line 2), omit subsection 61CE(6), substitute:

             (6)  For the purposes of this Subdivision, a commercial radio broadcasting licensee meets the minimum service standards for designated local content programs during a particular week if, during that week, the amount of local content programs is at least:

                     (a)  the local content program target amount; or

                     (b)  if the average weekly amount of local content broadcast under the licence during the benchmark year is greater than the local content program target number—that amount.

             (7)  For the purposes of subsection (6), the local content program target amount is:

                     (a)  4 ½ hours in every 24 hour period; or

                     (b)  if the Minister, by legislative instrument, declares that a greater amount is the local content program target amount—the greater amount.

[minimum amount of local content]