Senator Pauline Hanson during Question Time in the Senate. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "Higher than that - 5 per cent - it goes to the Foreign Investment Review Board to be looked at. "There is a call for an inquiry into the need for competitive behaviour of the ABC and SBS. What we mean there is they are....can I say moving into areas where it does impact on commercial TV stations." This is not what the public broadcasters were set up for, she added. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield welcomed One Nation's support and confirmed it would create a public register of foreign-owned media assets, introduce more transparency for public broadcasters and a community radio package. He noted the ABC's increased focus on rural and regional Australia was an initiative by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie.

Greens senators Sarah Hanson-Young and Richard Di Natale. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "The government's comprehensive and holistic package of reforms seeks to give Australian media organisations a fighting chance by freeing them from outdated laws and regulations," Senator Fifield said. "The reforms will give media organisations more options as to how to configure themselves to better support their viability." "We want an increased investment in the ABC and SBS," Senator Richard Di Natale said. Credit:Joe Castro Labor's communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland called One Nation's list of demands a "direct assault on the independence of our public broadcasters".

"Overall, One Nation's demands do precious little to address the disastrous consequences of the Turnbull government's proposed media ownership changes," she said. One Nation also won legislative change forcing the ABC to publish details of staff paid over $200,000, reflecting a recent move in the UK that saw the BBC publishing salary details for the first time. And its charter will be updated before the end of the year requiring news be "fair" and "balanced", adding to existing requirements for being 'accurate' and 'impartial'. One Nation's deal came just hours after the Greens have signalled they might be willing to negotiate on media reform in return for greater funding for the public broadcasters, without indicating how much more funding would be enough. Greens leader Richard Di Natale told reporters in Canberra that the cross-bench party was willing to potentially drop its opposition to the proposed end of the so-called "two-out-of-three" rule that prevents media companies owning radio, television and print in a single city. Labor does not support this change, arguing it would lead to greater ownership concentration. The governments needs 39 votes in favour of its bill to make it law. The Coalition has 30 votes in the Senate while One Nation controls four votes. Independents Derryn Hinch and David Leyonhelm have already indicated their support for the media reform bill, which means the government still needs three votes. These could potentially come from the Nick Xenophon Team.

But if the Greens vote with the government in favour of the media reforms it will pass. "We want an increased investment in the ABC and SBS," Senator Di Natale said on Tuesday afternoon. "It's fair to say that we are discussing an increase in the funding for ABC and SBS and that is a starting point for any support to get rid of two-out-of-three." Senator Di Natale said the Greens were "petrified" the government might do a deal with One Nation on media reform. "If the government want to secure our support they need to invest more in the ABC and SBS... we need to protect the ABC, particularly their charter, and [ensure it has] the funding to do what they do so well," he said.

The Green's media spokeswoman, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, said she had met with industry representatives in recent weeks, but found the attitude from commercial media companies, particularly broadcasters "feels like it is just take, take, take". "What is on the table currently with the government is a deal with One Nation, who have never hidden their distaste and hatred for the ABC," she said, adding the Green's support for the public broadcasters was "rock solid". She later said Senator Hanson's deal with the government would see an end to streaming services iView and SBS On Demand. Loading Meanwhile share prices in companies considered likely merger targets increased on Tuesday with Prime Media Group up 5.6 per cent to 47 cents and Fairfax Media (publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age) up 0.5 per cent to $1.01.