Australian media call on govt to protect press freedom

Sydney

AUSTRALIA'S national broadcaster and two biggest newspaper publishers called on the government on Wednesday to protect press freedom, declaring media laws outdated, inconsistent and used by the powerful to keep embarrassing information secret.

The state-funded Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC), News Corp's Australian arm, and broadcaster and newspaper publisher Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd made the demand after a series of police raids, adverse court rulings and criminal prosecutions of journalists.

The rare show of unity by Australia's usually tribal media industry underscored concern about a lack of legal protection for journalists. The issue grabbed international attention earlier this month when police raided the ABC's head office in Sydney and a News Corp editor's home over separate reports.

"Something has shifted," said Michael Miller, News Corp executive chairman for Australia and New Zealand. "The raids . . . were intimidation, not investigation," he said in a joint speech by the media bosses in Canberra.

ABC managing director David Anderson said that government rhetoric about the importance of a free press was "not being matched by the reality". "Our journalists have too many impediments in their path including the unacceptable risk of being treated as criminals," he added. He said that the raid on the ABC office was based on a World War I-era Crimes Act.

The ABC and News Corp plan to challenge the legality of the raids, although Mr Miller said that this would not address concerns about how warrants for the raids were issued.

Global attention turned to press freedom in Australia after a court order prevented media outlets reporting on a guilty verdict on child sex abuse charges against Catholic Cardinal George Pell. Some Australian outlets reported that an unidentified person had been convicted but some foreign media companies identified Pell because they were outside Australia's jurisdiction.

Prosecutors are now seeking fines and jail time for three dozen Australian journalists and publishers for their coverage of the trial. REUTERS