On Monday, the front page of all Australian newspaper carried text that was blacked out — as if it had been redacted by the government. The newspapers’ move was followed by a blackout on prime time TV slots.
About:
The decision to ‘censor’ the front page was carried out by a media coalition across print, TV, radio and online portals, called the “Right to Know”
Australia’s Right to Know coalition includes Nine, News Corp, the ABC, SBS, The Guardian, and journalists’ union the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.
The coalition has following key proposals for protections of public-interest journalism:
The right to contest search warrants
Protections for whistleblowers
Exemptions to protect journalists from prosecution under a number of national security laws.
Overhaul of defamation law to adapt to the digital era
Changes to Freedom of information (FOI) law to reduce the significant delays, obstacles, cost and exemptions that allow government agencies to prevent disclosure.
Media organisations in Australia have been concerned about threats to journalism following two consecutive police raids earlier this year. The police actions highlighted a perceived rise of cultural secrecy and legal restrictions that impinge on media freedom in Australia.
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