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Convergence Review

A comprehensive analysis of the issues related to the convergence of technologies and markets in the telecommunications, information technology, broadcasting and media industries, and the wider economy, over the next five to ten years.

Overview

Governments all over the world are grappling with the issues raised by convergence between previously separate industries. The traditional barriers between industry sectors such as film, music, publishing, broadcast television and radio, telecommunications, computing, and services industries such as education and health are being eroded or restructured, and new industry boundaries are emerging.

In order to examine the implications of convergence for government policy, in June 1999 the Government announced it would be conducting a high-level strategic review that would be a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of the issues related to the convergence of technologies and markets in the telecommunications, information technology, broadcasting and media industries, and the wider economy, over the next five to ten years.

In late 1999 a comprehensive Issues Paper was released for public discussion, and submissions were called for and received from a variety of interested parties. The closing date for submissions was 20 December 1999. All these documents are available for browsing or download below.

The review was led by David Kennedy, General Manager of Strategy in the National Office for the Information Economy (now the Information Economy Division of DCITA).

The full Report of the Convergence Review was tabled in Parliament on 10 May 2000. It can be downloaded here.

Terms of reference

  • The Convergence Review is intended to provide an authoritative and comprehensive analysis of the issues related to the convergence of technologies and markets in the telecommunications, information technology, broadcasting and media industries, and the wider economy, over the next five to ten years.
  • The Review will address Section 59 of Schedule 4 of the Broadcasting Service Act 1992, which states that:
    (1) Before 1 January 2000, the Minister must cause to be conducted a review of the following matters:
    (a) whether any amendments of laws of the Commonwealth should be made in order to deal with convergence between broadcasting services and other services;
  • Under the Act, the Minister must also cause a report of the review to be prepared.
  • The report of the Review will provide useful input for Government policy development over the medium term, particularly in the regulation of the communications and related industries which are a key enabler of technological change across the economy.
  • The Review will provide:
    • an analysis of the impact of convergence on international industry and policy developments, placing the Australian economy in a wider international context;
    • an analysis of the issues raised by convergence for existing Australian regulatory and policy approaches; and
  • options for alternative approaches to address convergence.
Scope of the Review

The Review is to report on:

1) The scope and significance of convergence in the Australia economy, including:

a) trends in the international industry environment and in associated demand markets, and their implications for Australia;
b) the enablers and drivers of convergence;
c) the timeframes for convergence and associated structural changes; and
d) possible industry and consumer scenarios in Australia over a five to ten year timeframe.

2) International policies and developments designed to address convergence, including:

a) Legislative, institutional and regulatory changes;
b) direct interventions such as funded programs;
c) other policies designed to respond to convergence; and

3) The implications of convergence for the achievement of Government policy objectives, including:

a) an analysis of options for the achievement of long-term policy objectives in a convergence environment; and
b) transitional strategies for policy and preferred timeframes for any proposed changes, including regulatory policy and institutional responses.

General Information

Publications, speeches, media releases

Submissions:

All of the following submissions are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format and require the Acrobat or the Acrobat Reader to view.

Contact details


General Manager, Strategy
Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
Ph. [+61] 03 9667 8000
Fax: [+61] 03 9667 8004

  • Document ID: 17474 |
  • Last modified: 6 February 2008, 10:14am