Department of the Media
19 December 1972 – 22 December 1975
Department of State responsible for broadcasting and television policy, government information and publicity, government printing, publishing and advertising, and Commonwealth documentary film production and support for the film industry.
How it came into existence
Created by the Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 December 1972 as one of the new departments of the Whitlam government, with Doug McClelland as Minister for the Media (Moss Cass from June 1975). It took radio and television policy from the Postmaster-General's Department, government publicity and information (the News and Information Bureau, with its Commonwealth Film Unit) from the Department of the Interior, and film, government printing, publishing and advertising, including the Australian Government Publishing Service, from the Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts.
- Radio and television policy
- Ministerial oversight of the Australian Broadcasting Commission and Australian Broadcasting Control Board
- Government publicity and information (News and Information Bureau)
- Documentary film production (Commonwealth Film Unit)
The Commonwealth Film Unit was part of the News and Information Bureau; Wikipedia's summary of the AAO attributes the film functions as a whole to the Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts.
- Film industry support (Australian Film Development Corporation)
- Government printing and publishing (Australian Government Publishing Service)
- Government advertising
How it ended
Abolished on 22 December 1975 by the Fraser government. Broadcasting went to the new Postal and Telecommunications Department, information, printing and publishing (the Australian Information Service and the Australian Government Publishing Service) to the Department of Administrative Services, and film making and film industry development to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
- Australian Government Publishing Service
- Australian Information Service
- Film production and film industry development
When the Fraser government abolished the Department of the Media, film making and film industry development went to the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio, which held the arts until December 1977.
- Broadcasting and television policy
Main functions
- Broadcasting and television policy, including the Australian Broadcasting Commission and the Australian Broadcasting Control Board
- Government information and publicity (Australian Information Service)
- Government printing and publishing (Australian Government Publishing Service)
- Government advertising
- Documentary film production (Film Australia)
- Film industry support, including the Australian Film Development Corporation, the Australian Film Commission and the Australian Film and Television School
Bodies in this portfolio (3)
- Australian News and Information Bureau 1940–1973
- Commonwealth Film Unit 1956–1973
- Australian Film Development Corporation 1970–1975
Lineage
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Sources
Primary sources
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 December 1972 (created it)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 22 December 1975 (took effect as it ended)
Other sources
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.