Media Contacts Database List and Directory, Australia

New South Wales and Victoria were introduced to television in 1956, with the other states following suit up to 1971 (the Northern Territory). Colour television was introduced in 1975.

Approximately 25% of Australian households had access to pay television services by the end of 2005. The main provider is Foxtel in both metropolitan, regional and rural areas offering nearly all Australian channels via cable & satellite TV in capital cities, and mostly the same channels are offered by Foxtel via satellite TV (predominantly) in regional areas with the recent merger with Austar in 2012.

There are 2 national and 10 state/territory daily newspapers, 37 regional dailies and 470 other regional and suburban newspapers.

Australia’s first regular radio broadcasts began on 13 November 1923 with station 2SB (later to become 2BL) in Sydney. The ABC began broadcasting in 1932. Currently there are 274 operational commercial stations (funded by advertising) and 341 community (publicly funded) radio stations.

Controls over media ownership in Australia are laid down in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, administered by the ACMA.

Database Particulars: