Traditional media has been transformed by technological change and across the world, governments and regulators are contemplating the impact of the disruption on the production and consumption of news. 

Central to this consideration is the influence of digital platforms, Google and Facebook particularly, which now in large part shape what news content we consume and when and how we consume it. Crucial to the platforms’ role as news gateways is the advertising that funds their business models, transferring revenue substantially away from news organisations in favour of the search and social media giants.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has been conducting an inquiry into the impact of digital platforms on media and advertising markets and has recently released its preliminary report.

In this episode Dr Katharine Kemp from the University of New South Wales steers us through the detailed maze of factual and legal analysis and draws attention to the key findings and principal recommendations as they relate to advertisers and news organisations.

The inquiry website, with links to the Issues Paper, submissions and the preliminary report, can be found here. You can also read Katharine’s initial reaction to the report in a think piece published on The Conversation here.

Featuring regular cut-through interviews with leading thinkers, movers and shakers, Competition Lore is a podcast series that engages us all in a debate about the transformative potential and risks of digitalised competition.

Join Caron Beaton-Wells, Professor in Competition Law at the University of Melbourne, to tackle what it means to participate as a competitor, consumer or citizen in a digital economy and society.

Competition Lore is produced by Written & Recorded.