Information media and telecommunications industry

The information media and telecommunications industry includes:

• newspaper, magazine, book and directory publishing
• software publishing
• motion picture and sound recording publishing and distribution
• radio and television broadcasting
• internet publishing and broadcasting
• telecommunication services, internet service providers and web search portals
• data processing, web hosting and electronic information storage services
• library and other information services.

Industry research is an important part of planning for your business, it may help you identify:

• economic and industry trends
• establish or improve your business
• help you keep pace with your industry.

See statistics for Australian Industry and Technology and Innovation on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website.

Explore the profile for the Information media and telecommunications industry, on the Labour Market Insights website. This will give you an idea of what's happening in the Australian job market.

Information Media

Explore statistics on the Screen Australia website. The agency also publishes reports and key issues.

Check out the interactive report, Communications and media in Australia: how we use the internet, on the ACMA website. 

Telecommunications

Read about trends and developments in telecommunications and see publications on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Website.

It’s important that you’re aware of the laws that apply to the information media and telecommunications industry.

State or territory governments manage the licences and permits for the information media and telecommunications industry.

The licences and permits you may need include:

• television licence
• radio licence
• commercial filming licencing
• broadcast of copyright material
• filming and photography permits.

The information media and telecommunications industry have specific Goods and Services Tax (GST) measures. Know your GST obligations and register with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to ensure you can claim your GST credits.

Information media and telecommunications industry businesses may be entitled to claim the Producer Offset which is a tax offset for the producers of Australian feature films, television and other projects.

Levies and charges fund activities that benefit the industry, such as:

• accessibility for the public to telecommunication and broadcast services
• delivery of the emergency call services
• research and development of telecommunication and broadcast technologies.

The main levies that apply to the information media and telecommunications industry include levies on:

• telecommunications carrier levies and charges
• broadcast licensing fees
• equipment licensing.

If you're looking to employ staff, there are Australia’s national workplace laws specific to the information media and telecommunications industry that you'll need to comply with.

There are general work health and safety regulations for all businesses, however there are state and territory WHS requirements that apply to businesses in the information media and telecommunications industry:

• ACT - WorkSafe
• NSW - SafeWork
• NT - WorkSafe
• QLD - WorkSafe
• SA - SafeWork
• TAS - WorkSafe
• VIC - WorkSafe
• WA - WorkSafe.

While businesses in the information media and telecommunications industry do not rely heavily on the environment, they can still have a significant impact. The main environmental issues that businesses in the information media and telecommunications industry should understand include:

• resources used in products
• environmental impact of telecommunication sites and facilities
• post-consumer waste
• waste management and reduction.

It is important to protect your intellectual property when starting and growing your business. ‘Intellectual property' (IP) is the creation of original ideas, inventions or brands.

If you have an information media or telecommunications business, you may need to consider different types of IP. For example, you may need a: 

• patent to protect a new invention
• trademark to protect your brand
• design to protect the visual appearance of a product.

It is also important to understand copyright, which is a form of intellectual property made from a person's creative skills and labour. Common forms include films, music, books, magazines, newspapers, sound recordings and artwork. Copyright protection is free and automatic in Australia.

Alongside compulsory insurances, the information media and telecommunications industry has specific insurances. These insurances include:

• telecommunications
• filming and media equipment
• printing machinery
• information technology equipment and software
• radio equipment
• property and buildings
• public liability
• professional indemnity
• business interruption
• multi-media liability.

If you need advice or support, consider getting help from your industry association, a business adviser, accountant or legal professional.