Information Subsidies, Journalism Routines and the Australian Media: Market Liberalization versus Marketplace of Ideas

Abstract

Information technology is invariably equated with liberalization and greater citizen access to knowledge. However, some economies of scale made possible by technology, together with contemporary information-gathering and distribution processes, may diminish rather than enhance democratic practices. Analyses of the contributions of journalists and sources to television news reveal some consequences of technological innovation and organizational behaviour in the Australian media that justify retention of existing cross-media ownership laws restricting media barons to being princes of print or queens of screen.

Keywords:

• Australian media policy
• economies of scale
• communications research
• information society
• journalism
• marketplace of ideas
• news agendas
• newsgathering
• public relations
• technology
• television news