Media, Arts and Culture

A century ago Australians got their news from twenty-one metropolitan dailies owned by seventeen publishers.
Today, there are ten dailies owned by two publishers and two that are independent. And, while there is a diversity of media sources now, the fact remains that ownership of Australian mainstream media is close to the most highly convergent on the planet.

Petrol prices and porn: why our political leaders need to do better

CPD fellow James Arvanitakis examines recent controversies that have dominated news headlines: petrol prices and Bill Henson's images, to find a lack of political vision and political courage runs deeply in both debates.

International Metropolis conference workshop: Multiculturalism vs plural monoculturalism

CPD Director Miriam Lyons and fellow Emma Dawson will join international researchers to present a workshop titled Narratives of Inclusion: Multiculturalism versus Plural Monoculturalism in Liberal Democracies at the 12th International Metropolis Conference on Migration, Economic Growth and Social Cohesion in October in Melbourne.


NSW's creative future at the next Fabian forum: Art Attack!

Should the NSW Government have more interest in the state's creative future? How are the arts related to NSW's economic fortunes? What can be done to resuscitate the arts?

I am part of a team of organisers who are asking these key questions as part of the next Fabian forum: Art Attack!


From culture war to cultural democracy: it's your ABC

Tony Moore provides a credible option for ending the terms of partisan appointments to the ABC board, and shows how we can rescue the public broadcasting debate from the culture wars.

Resetting Australia's cultural thermostat

Miriam Lyons asks what cultural traits would make Australia more resilient in the face of global change.

Media ownership: concentrate or perish

'The only media owners capable of putting the public interest above their own are those who can afford to', argues Leonard McDonnell - so supporters of quality journalism should give up on diversity of media ownership.


Knowers and sayers need to get it together

The 2004 Tsunami exposed a deep rift between our scientists and our communicators, writes Leonard McDonnell. We need to find new ways of getting information out of the journals and into the broadsheets if we are to reap the benefits of 'expert' knowledge and prevent more avoidable tragedies.

DISCUSSION PAPER: Australia’s public broadcasters

In this draft discussion paper Emma Dawson and Miriam Lyons outline the basic principles that should underpin our public broadcasting policy, and suggest some ways to better equip the ABC and SBS to meet the needs of Australian citizens.

INTRODUCTION: Ideas for an Australian media policy

The Centre for Policy Development is developing a series of discussion papers on media policy reform. In this introduction the Centre for Policy Development fellow Emma Dawson and Director Miriam Lyons argue that the failure to reinvent Australia’s media policy for a new media age is putting the health of our democracy at risk.

The ABCs of protecting the Public Interest

Emma Dawson asks what it would take to ensure that our ABC remains in the service of the Australian public, rather than the Government.

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