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The Senate has referred a suite of media reform bills to a Senate Committee for Inquiry and report. The Committee sought submissions and is conducting hearings today, Thursday September 28 and tomorrow Friday September 29, 2006. The Committee is to report by October 6, 2006.
Listed below is some background information regarding the Media Reform Bills, the Minister’s media release on New Digital Services, the position of the ACCC, the Committee of Inquiry, the written submissions and the program for appearances by witnesses before the inquiry. Further I have provided where to find the live television and internet coverage of the hearings.

Over the last few months I have given numerous interviews on the Media Reforms and attended and spoken at a number of internet, new media, technology and broadcasting conferences. If you would like me to provide your company, board, executives or clients with an update on the latest policy, technology and international developments in the rapidly changing media and communications industry then please call me on 0413676326.   

The Media Reform Bills and explanatory material
Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006 
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television) Bill 2006 
Communications Legislation Amendment (Enforcement Powers) Bill 2006 
Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill 2006 
Minister's Discussion Paper (PDF 96KB)   
 
The position of the ACCC
Graeme Samuel speech on ’s changing communications and media landscape – 14 August 2006 ACCC, Media Mergers, August 2006  

Submissions

Submissions to the Inquiry into Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006 and related bills – Full list of 51 submissions

http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/cross_media/submissions/sublist.htm

Some of the major players submissions 

Fairfax
News
Telstra
Seven
TEN
Foxtel 

Live Webcast of the Senate Inquiry  28-29 September, 2006
http://www.aph.gov.au/live/webcast1.asp    HMS 11 (ParlTV 11) 
Live Television coverage on Digital – Channel D44

Senate Standing Committee on the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

Members: Eggleston (Chair), Bartlett (Dep Chair), Lundy, Macdonald, Ronaldson, Webber, Wortley, Brandis to replace Parry, Murray to replace Bartlett , Conroy, Fielding, Joyce, Nash 
Program – Thursday 28 September 2006                                 

9.00am            Fairfax                                                              

9.30                 Institute of Public Affairs                                   

10.00               APN

10.45               Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance

11.15               Premier Media Group

11.45               ACCC

2.00pm            Seven

2.30                 FTA

3.00                 Telstra

3.30                 Hutchison

4.15                 Austereo

4.45                 CRA

5.15                 Community Broadcasting

5.45                 SPAA

7.00                 Southern Cross

7.30                 Private Media Partners

8.00                 DCITA

Friday 29 September 2006

8.30                 Neville, MP

9.00                 Macquarie Radio, DMG Radio

9.45                 Bathurst Broadcasting, Radio Outback

10.15               Independent Regional Radio

10.45               TEN

11.15               Astra, Austar, Foxtel

12.00               ABC

1.15                 Prime

1.45                 Jock Given

2.15                 ACMA

3.15                 DCITA