The Australian Media System

An Overview and Critical Analysis of the Characteristics of the Australian Media System

Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to develop a thorough understanding of the characteristics of the Australian media system. While Daniel C. Hallin and Paolo Mancini have famously explicated three models of media systems, Australia’s system does not categorically fit into any of them. The Australian media system has been characterized as a dual system with limited regulations and highly concentrated media ownership; it is one of the most concentrated media systems in the world. This paper will analyze the development, political implications, and effects of Australia’s unique media system.

Keywords: Australia, media system, media models, media ownership

Historical Development:

Many reasons for why the Australian media system is the way it is can be explained by briefly examining the history of the country.

Australia was first colonized as a British colony in 1788 during an era of extreme British imperialism. Since the first established colony was in Sydney, the first newspaper was the Sydney Gazette, which began printing in 1803 (McPhail, 2013). It was government owned, which at the time meant that colonial British governors regulated all print publications (McPhail, 2013). This was a method for expanding British values to the people living in the Australian colonies.

The latter half of the 19th century consisted of substantial growth to the population and infrastructure of Australia (Lambert, 2012). Gold was discovered in multiple locations in 1850, which enticed thousands of hopefuls to immigrate to the land (Lambert, 2012). Since almost all communication out of the country was to Britain, the incoming population was predominantly European.

In 1900, the Commonwealth of Australia passed its first constitution. Australia, while still under British control, became principally self governed and unified, and all of the colonies became states (Lambert,...