The media and communications industries and the Government have a very close relationship in Australia. All policy in these areas is these areas is determined by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Communication, Information Technology and the Arts with advice from DCITA. The media and communications policies reflect both historical, personal, political and business relationships
Cox Media believe that an understanding of these relationships and the political environment in which they operate is essential to determining regulatory decisions. Finally, we believe that direct involvement and pro-active strategies are required if you want to effect the course of policy development.
Cox Media has over 25 years experience of personally meeting and lobbying with numerous Ministers for Communications, senior DCITA management, regulatory bodies and owners and senior management of media companies.
Over this period Peter has met and known nearly all the ministers and many of the shadow ministers. The main regulatory body has changed name three times over these years from ABT to ABA and now ACMA and the Government department has also had a variety of names and senior staff.
Peter’s first experience with the ABT was in 1979 successfully preparing a competitive application for a FM licence in Sydney for a group of investors. Peter led the team as Managing Director to appear before the tribunal and were granted a highly contested licence which became one of ’s most successful radio stations, 2 Day FM.
Peter has been involved in the numerous conferences over policy changes including the introduction of FM radio, the Broadcasting Services Act, subscription television, Digital television, Cross Media and Foreign Ownership legislation and now the consideration of multichannelling.
Cox Media was commissioned by The Department of Transport and Communications in 1990 to develop an independent model on the effect the introduction of Pay TV in would have on the commercial television industry. This report was instrumental in changing the Government decision to favour introducing Pay TV.
Peter Cox was appointed consultant to the Senate Select Committee on Subscription Television Broadcasting Services which led to the introduction of the Broadcasting Services Act.
Cox Media provided strategic advice to General Instrument, a world leader in satellite digital compression technology, on their introduction into including successfully lobbying to have their proprietary technical specifications determined in the 1992 Broadcasting Services Act.
Peter was invited by the Minister to appear before the Senate Select Committee on ABC Management and Operations where he addressed issues including the Charter of the ABC, Australian Television International, ratings, Australian content, commercialism and funding.
In 2004 Cox Media was commissioned by The Australian Association of National Advertisers to develop and present their submissions to the DCITA reviews on multichannelling and the fourth commercial television licence. Peter Cox personally met with the Minister to advocate the AANA position.
The first submission to DCITA was in response to “Provision of Services other than simulcasting by free-to-air broadcasters on digital spectrum issues paper May 2004” and the second “Beyond The Three Pillars”.
Kerry Stokes for the Seven Network and Peter Cox for the AANA were the major submissions which led to the Government introducing digital multichannelling for the FTA which now totals 16 channels after 50 years with only five FTA channels.
Cox Media provides
- An understanding of the complex regulatory and political environment
- 30 years experience of the major players in the Australian media industry
- Advocacy and lobbying to the Government in Canberra
For more information, please contact us at 0413676326 or petercox@ozemail.com.au.
