Last week the Australian Productivity Commission delivered a draft report that concluded that commercial radio was over-regulated. It criticised the overly-legalistic interventionist approach of the regulator, ACMA, and the increasing amount of compliance reporting. The report has recommended a more flexible approach to local content rules and the abolition of regional radio ownership “trigger events.” It has also recommended the revision of the cash-for-comment disclosure standards imposed on the radio industry with a view to incorporating them into the normal codes of practice. Many in the industry had only one word to say, “Hallelujah!”

Many suspected that local content rules were nothing more than an issue manufactured by local politicians to facilitate re-election in 2007. When asked the simplistic question, “would you prefer programs networked from interstate to those reflecting local issues?” Who among the public would say no to live and local?

But if the industry thought that the incoming Labor minister for communications, Stephen Conroy would be happy to repeal these burdensome rules now that the election was over and the political football the pollies had created had scored its intended goal, they were soon to be disappointed.

But the Productivity Commission Report may just help the good Senator Conroy soften his resolve to keep Commercial Radio hobbled compared to its television rivals who suffer few similar constraints.

If you had five minutes alone with Senator Conroy, what message would you tell him about the state of Commercial Radio, how these draconian rules have affected it and what he should do to give Radio a break?

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