The Gillard government's reforms to media laws appear destined to fail after it deferred a raft of promised changes, refused to negotiate on those it did commit to, and gave Parliament just two weeks to pass the legislation.

As the opposition accused Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy of holding a gun to Parliament's head, the tight deadline for passage of the complex changes has raised suspicions that even the government is not committed to their success.

Serious concerns: Andrew Wilkie. Credit:Peter Mathew

The reforms, which stop short of some of the more radical recommendations from the Finkelstein Review a year ago, include a public interest test on media mergers to be administered by a government appointed bureaucrat dubbed the ''public interest advocate''.

The package also includes stronger self-regulation of ethical and professional standards by newspapers; and cuts to the licence fees paid by commercial television broadcasters.