The so-called two out of three rule - which bans a media company from owning a newspaper, TV station and radio station in the same metropolitan market - has been the major stumbling block to securing passage of the media reforms despite unanimous backing from Australian publishers and broadcasters.

While Labor is point blank refusing to budge on scrapping that ownership restriction, the Greens and One Nation have begun to soften their stances in return for concessions.

The government has listed media reform for debate when Parliament resumes next week.

Securing the seven votes currently held by the Greens for the media reforms would get the media reform package over the line when added to the votes of crossbenchers David Leyonhjelm, Cory Bernardi and Derryn Hinch.

Senator Nick Xenophon and his two upper house colleagues are also likely to support the overhaul, with the South Australian saying on Wednesday progress had been made on his amendments to boost news coverage.

Despite One Nation backing away in May from a short-lived threat to block government bills unless the ABC's funding was cut, the Greens remain fearful One Nation could convince the government to gut public broadcasting in return for supporting media reform.

"We're not going to stand by and let the ABC and SBS come under attack from One Nation," Senator Hanson-Young said.

Senator Hanson-Young stressed the Greens had not made a decision to support media reform and was tightlipped about the details of amendments the party would push in negotiations.


"We're open to seeing whether we can do something to secure a better outcome for Australian journalists," she said.

The Greens would pursue protections for local content, amid a push by commercial TV networks to axe quotas for children's programming.

"We know that kids TV is part of Australia's cultural heritage and the fabric of our community," Senator Hanson-Young said.

"Children's content is also the bedrock of Australia's production houses. It's where many people start out, it underpins the sustainability of Australia's entire production industry and the commercial broadcasters waging a war against having quotas is a real risk."

If the government fails to reach agreement with the Greens, it will need both Senator Xenophon's and One Nation's blocs. One Nation wants safeguards for Queensland media diversity in an already concentrated market.