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CBAA takes part in roundtable on the News Media Bargaining Code

Frieda Lee, 3rd August 2022
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Last week the CBAA highlighted the critical role our sector plays in producing independent, original, local and hyperlocal news at a roundtable discussion on the Review of the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code.

As part of the review Treasury brought the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia together with First Nations Media Australia, the Local & Independent News Association, the Public Interest Publishers Alliance, Minderoo Foundation, Digital Publishers Alliance, Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, Australian Press Council and Google. 

The CBAA outlined issues with the News Media Bargaining Code that make it difficult for small to medium media organisations to engage with the code: the absence of our Codes of Practice from the Professional Standards Test, the need for the revenue threshold to be lowered to $75,000. We explained that burden of registering for the News Media Bargaining Code and engaging in the bargaining process is too great a barrier for community broadcasters when the potential income to be gained is unknown and the terms of the agreement may involve extra work.

We emphasised that community broadcasters should be supported to keep pace with the ways in which people are consuming news and ensure that the vital local news produced by our sector continues to be accessible to the millions of people who rely on it to keep them informed and connected to their communities.

Read more about our submission to the review.

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