A comprehensive introduction to the politics of the Australian media, particularly the effect that Australia's liberal democratic tradition has on the operation and structure of the media, and in turn the effect of the media on politics. It examines the development and evolution of the Australian media, as well as the key debates and controversies which have shaped the domestic media landscape in the last decade. It seeks to explain the dynamics of contemporary media policy and technology while using an approach that locates such changes in enduring principles of political power and institutional behaviour It maps outs the key institutions, ideas and actors which influence the operation of the Australian media i.e. the legal and bureaucratic framework, the regulators, the interest groups and the public, providing a strong framework to understand the relationship between media and politics in Australia.

Table of Contents

1. The Liberal Democratic Tradition and Australia's Media: An Introduction; 2. An Overview of the Australian Media: The Actors, Institutions and Processes; 3. The Public and Media: Couch Potato or Rational Consumers?; 4. The News Media in Action: Pawn, Villain or Saint?; 5. The Politics of Spin; 6. The Permanent Campaign; 7. The Proscription and Prescription of Media Content; 8. New Developments in Media Ownership; 9. Public Broadcasting: Wither the ABC and SBS?; 10. New Media and the Prospects for Democracy; 11. Global Politics, Global Media