The Convergence review was an initiative by the Australian government to examine the future of media and communications in Australia. Along with the Finkelstein inquiry, the Convergence review was one of the most significant reviews of Australian media policy in recent years. The final report was released in 2012.
Contents
Background and report
The Convergence review focused on three areas: media ownership and control, content standards and promoting locally produced content.
Reception
The review was highly contentious and drew heated debate between the political parties and media entities. From the media conglomerates, News Corp executive Kim Williams accused the then Labor government of using the review as 'political payback' while Foxtel chief executive Richard Freudenstein expressed concern over the powers of the new regulators. Other commentators argued that the reforms were needed in order to respond to the changing media environment. The then communications minister Stephen Conroy responded to the criticism by saying that "These reforms will ensure for the Australian public a media sector that is fair, diverse, and able to tackle the challenges of the future".