AUSTRALIA’s media market is the most concentrated out of every democracy in the world.

A former ABC journalist turned Independent politician, MP Zoe Daniel is taking matters into her own hands, calling for a Judicial Inquiry with the powers of a Royal Commission to investigate the concentration of media ownership in Australia.

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“According to the Public Interest Journalism Initiative, 255 media outlets across the country closed down between the beginning of 2019 and March 2022, with nearly 70 percent of these in regional Australia,” Ms Daniel said.

“One company has a 59 percent share of the metropolitan and national print media market by readership, and the second, 23 percent.”

Ms Daniel is calling for the government to investigate this concentration, whilst seeking expert advice and making recommendations to broaden media diversity, particularly in rural, regional and suburban Australia.

“Additionally, my motion calls on the government to establish an independent and permanent trust to assist news ventures, especially in regional areas, including the funding of journalism traineeships,” she said.

Kirsti Gorringe of the Australians for a Murdoch Royal Commission strongly supports Zoe Daniel’s motion, discussing the importance of independent and truthful news organisations.

“Strong, independent and diverse news media made up of journalists who investigate fearlessly, and report truthfully are essential to any functioning democracy and fair society.

“But here in Australia, huge swathes of our news media have been bought-up by American billionaire Rupert Murdoch and his heir-apparent son Lachlan.”

Ms Gorringe said Murdoch’s company, News Corp, saturates the market, controlling so much of what the public see and hear as their news.

“Truths that are inconvenient to the Murdoch agenda are silenced.

“For decades, Murdoch has taught politicians that if they stand up against his media monopoly, they will be punished.

“But if we work together, we think we can create the kind of national public pressure that our political leaders can’t ignore any longer,” Ms Gorringe said.

Ms Daniel’s motion was seconded by fellow independent MP Monique Ryan and is set to be discussed in Parliament following the fifteen-day suspension of Parliament as a result of Queen Elizabeth’s death.

By Tara CAMPBELL