• The Age, Monday, June 26, 2006 10:45 AM

Media company executives have branded Communications Minister Helen Coonan's reform package for Australian broadcasters a "digital dud" reports The Age. Since News Corporation helped scuttle a plan to repeal laws banning cross-media and foreign ownership, Coonan's proposals to overhaul digital television "also appear doomed, with the networks unable to reach agreement," the paper says. Digital television has been a failure in Australia, with almost no one signing on. Coonan wants to make converting more attractive for consumers by allowing "multichanneling"--where one network would be able to broadcast on more than one channel--and a range of other new services. An executive at pay TV provider Tekstar says Coonan has "run into the usual stonewalling from the usual suspects. The free-to-air broadcasters want to protect their oligopoly--they don't want any competition..."

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