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A levy on commercial TV broadcasting dubbed the “journalism tax” is to be scrapped by the Albany government in a major victory for the news industry.
The one-year suspension of commercial broadcasting tax from June next year was confirmed in the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook for 2024-25. on Wednesday.
A spokesman for Communications Secretary Michelle Rowland said the move was part of “funding to support media diversity and public interest journalism”.
Just weeks ago, Seven West Media’s director of news and current affairs, Anthony De Seglie, used a speech to the Melbourne Press Club to call on the government to immediately scrap the levy imposed on transmitter licences.
“The future of news and the future of truth in our democracy depends on it,” he said in his speech.
De Ceglie estimated the tax would cost stations like Seven, Nine and Ten a total of $45 million in the 2024/25 financial year.
“Every day in our country, Channel 7 proudly produces about 26 hours of journalism. But … we can’t promise that we can keep doing this forever,” he said.
“At a time when the viewer has access to 10 hours of news on Seven’s free-to-air channel on any given day… the so-called commercial broadcasting tax is really just a tax on journalism.
“If the Prime Minister is really worried about the toxicity of Facebook, Meta, X and TikTok… then hell, give a helping hand to journalism that fights for facts.”
De Ceglie argues that journalism is the only true “antidote” to the rise of fake news, artificial intelligence and online conspiracy theorists.
“In a world where the spread of misinformation has never been worse, our role as journalists has never been more important,” he said.
“We are the only antidote. But we can’t do it alone.
“And the government – which tells voters so often about its fears about social media – needs to realize this and step up to help us.”
Free TV chief executive Bridget Fair said the temporary suspension was “an important step towards supporting the long-term sustainability of Free TV’s broadcasters”.
“The tax on commercial broadcasting is really just a holdover from the old excess profits tax of the past,” she said.
“It really is time for it to be abolished once and for all.
“This undermines the ability of all broadcasters to compete fairly with digital platforms and global streamers who do not face the same tax or regulatory obligations, but who nevertheless compete and sell advertising against commercial broadcasters.”
“If CBT is finally abolished, broadcasters could redirect these payments to creating the Australian content they are regulated to provide and to maintaining broadcast infrastructure to ensure free-to-air TV remains available to all Australians.”
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