Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance

Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance
Name	Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance
Founded	1992
Headquarters	Sydney
Region served	Australia
Members	journalists, actors, musicians

Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance

The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance represents practitioners across Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Nine Network, Seven Network, Network 10, Special Broadcasting Service, Newspaper Publishers Association of Australia, Fairfax Media, Australian Associated Press, and independent ABC News organisations. It operates within industrial frameworks established by the Fair Work Act 2009, interacts with regulatory bodies such as the Australian Communications and Media Authority, and engages with cultural institutions including the National Gallery of Australia, National Film and Sound Archive, Australian Council for the Arts, and Screen Australia.

History

Originating from the 1992 amalgamation of the Australian Journalists Association, the Actors Equity of Australia, and the Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees' Association, the organisation traces antecedents to unions like the Australian Labor Party-aligned Australian Journalists Association and the Australian Performing Arts Workers Union. Its formation followed industrial disputes involving Australian Broadcasting Corporation staff and tensions tied to conglomerates such as News Corporation and Fairfax Media. Key historical interactions include campaigns alongside Walkley Foundation for Journalism, involvement in inquiries like the Stevenson Review and submissions to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry-era public inquiries that implicated media practices. Over time it negotiated accords with employers including Screen Producers Australia, engaged with international federations like the International Federation of Journalists and the International Confederation of Actors, and responded to technological shifts driven by companies such as Google, Meta Platforms, Netflix, and Spotify.

Structure and Membership

The Alliance's governance includes an elected national executive, state branches reflecting jurisdictions like New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory. Membership categories encompass journalists, actors, musicians, and digital creators working for entities from legacy outlets such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, The Australian, and Herald Sun to broadcasters like ABC Television, SBS Television, Sky News Australia, and streaming services including Stan (streaming service), Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. The Alliance affiliates with professional bodies including the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance Equity sector, legal advisers with ties to firms that have represented performers before the Federal Court of Australia, and pension arrangements connected to trustees like REST Super and AustralianSuper.

Roles and Functions

The organisation provides collective bargaining representation for employees at workplaces such as Nine Entertainment Co., Seven West Media, Southern Cross Austereo, Nine Radio, and independent production houses like Matchbox Pictures and Blackfella Films. It offers legal support in defamation disputes involving outlets like The Courier-Mail, negotiates award conditions under the Fair Work Commission, and administers codes of conduct intersecting with standards set by the Australian Press Council and the Office of the eSafety Commissioner. It also accredits training and professional development initiatives linked to institutions such as AFTRS (Australian Film, Television and Radio School) and universities like the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, and University of Technology Sydney.

Industrial Relations and Advocacy

The Alliance engages in industrial action, bargaining and arbitration with employers including News Corp Australia and Nine Entertainment Co.. It lodges disputes before the Fair Work Commission, pursues workplace investigations with state regulators, and advocates before parliamentary committees including inquiries like those convened by the Senate Select Committee on the Future of Public Interest Journalism and the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories. The body has campaigned for reforms touching on media ownership rules under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, intellectual property considerations involving Copyright Act 1968, and freelance protections comparable to international standards promoted by the International Federation of Journalists and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Campaigns and Notable Actions

Notable campaigns include advocacy for public broadcasting funding affecting the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Special Broadcasting Service, support for whistleblowers in high-profile cases such as those reported by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Guardian (Australia), organized strikes and stoppages at outlets like The Age and Herald Sun, and negotiations around residuals with streaming platforms including Netflix and Stan (streaming service). The Alliance has campaigned alongside cultural organisations such as the Australian Council of Trade Unions and arts institutions like the Melbourne Theatre Company and the Sydney Theatre Company on issues ranging from copyright reform to workplace safety following incidents publicized in outlets such as Crikey and ABC News.

Publications and Media

The organisation issues bulletins, bargaining updates and legal advisories that circulate to members and stakeholders including editors at The Australian Financial Review, producers at Endemol Shine Australia, and freelancers contributing to BuzzFeed Australia and Mamamia. It has collaborated on reports with research bodies such as the Grattan Institute and the Australia Institute and contributed submissions to government inquiries referenced by media scholars at institutions like Monash University and Griffith University.

Criticism and Controversies

Criticism has come from media owners including News Corp Australia and commentators in outlets such as The Australian and The Daily Telegraph over industrial tactics, and from some freelance journalists who raised concerns mirrored in pieces by The Guardian (Australia) and Guardian Australia. Controversies have included disputes over representational scope when engaging with unions like the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union and publicized disagreements during negotiations with producers including Matchbox Pictures and networks such as Seven Network. Debates around digital transition, platform policy involving Google and Meta Platforms, and internal governance have been scrutinized in parliamentary hearings and commentary from think tanks like the Institute of Public Affairs and advocacy groups like the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Category:Australian trade unions Category:Arts organisations based in Australia