Seven Media Calls for Regulation of Tech Giants

Seven Media Group chair Ryan Stokes urged the Federal Government to regulate global platforms over unpaid use of Australian journalism.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Media

Seven Media Calls for Regulation of Tech Giants

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Should global tech platforms be required to pay for using Australian news content?

Seven Media Group chair Ryan Stokes called on the Federal Government to regulate global tech platforms over their unpaid use of Australian journalism. He made the address at the company's annual general meeting in Sydney, where shareholders were also asked to approve renaming Southern Cross Media Group as Seven Media Group.

Why it matters

Stokes argued that global digital platforms use attention-driven algorithms and profit from scam advertising using AI-generated likenesses of well-known Australians, while contributing little local tax, employment or journalism investment. The push reflects ongoing pressure on traditional media to compete with platforms for advertising revenue.

The company reaches more than 20 million Australians each month, and total TV audiences grew 9.5 per cent year-on-year across broadcast and streaming. The address does not specify the regulatory measures being sought from the Federal Government.

The players

Ryan Stokes

Chair of Seven Media Group, who delivered the address calling for regulation of global tech platforms.

The details

Stokes delivered the address to shareholders on Thursday. The company also asked shareholders to vote on changing its name from Southern Cross Media Group to Seven Media Group, a brand spanning Channel Seven, The West Australian, Triple M, Hit, The Nightly, PerthNow, LiSTNR and The Game. Financial performance did not meet expectations, and advertising markets were described as short and volatile.

Thursday: Annual general meeting in Sydney, with the address and name-change vote
Second half of the year: the company assumes the broader economy will deteriorate

Market Landscape

Stokes's call sits within a long-running contest between Australian news publishers and global digital platforms over advertising revenue and payment for journalism. The company's push for regulation comes as it seeks to position its consolidated brand against those platforms in a volatile advertising market.

Any regulation of global platforms could affect how Australian news is funded and how much advertising sits with local outlets. Readers may see changes in the news and entertainment brands they use as the company pursues its new name.

The takeaway

The address highlights how the balance between platform advertising and local journalism funding remains unresolved, with the outcome likely to shape which Australian outlets can sustain newsrooms.