COMMUNICATIONS Minister Stephen Conroy insists the Labor government's media reforms are still on track, despite his deadline to pass the laws being snubbed by the Senate.
The federal government on Thursday introduced a package of six bills in the lower house to set up a public interest media advocate and give television networks a discount on their licence fees in exchange for more Australian content.
The advocate would ensure the press council receiving complaints against print and online publications meet a basic standard and run a public interest test over big media mergers and acquisitions.
Senator Conroy has threatened the changes won't proceed unless the bills are passed by parliament by the end of next week.
The Senate has voted not to meet the government's proposed March 20 final reporting date for an upper house communications committee inquiry into the bills and instead pushed the date out to June 17.
But it's understood there will be an interim report next Wednesday, after public hearings on Monday and Tuesday.
"The government is confident the media reforms can be dealt with by next week," a spokesman for Senator Conroy told AAP.
Labor needs the support of the Greens in the Senate and five of seven crossbench MPs in the lower house for the laws - which the coalition oppose and would scrap in government - to succeed.
Greens media policy spokesman Senator Scott Ludlam told AAP the minor party would next week be willing to pass bills dealing with the ABC, SBS and a community broadcasting channel.
But the Greens have some concerns about the public interest advocate measures.
"I think there will need to be amendments," Senator Ludlam said.
Independent MPs Craig Thomson and Rob Oakeshott have confirmed they would oppose the bills as they stand, but other crossbench members were reserving their positions.
Liberal senator Simon Birmingham said as it stands, Senator Conroy's deadline for the bills to pass had been "scuttled".
Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull told parliament on Thursday the laws were "shambolic" and would undermine press freedom.
Mr Turnbull said diversity in the media had never been greater, adding the bills were Labor's way of getting back at media group News Limited over its political coverage of the minority government.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus accused the coalition of "hysterical rhetoric".
Mr Thomson said the fact Senator Conroy had earlier this week declined to negotiate on the bills meant they would fail.
"I think we need a much broader discussion to come up with proper reform in relation to this issue," Mr Thomson said.
Meanwhile, a second committee - comprising members on both houses - was also set up on Thursday to examine whether the 75 per cent rule - which limits the audience reach of television networks - should be dropped.
If it is, the decision will be included in the reform bills package.
The joint select committee on broadcasting plans to meet on Monday at a venue to be decided.
Committee members include Rob Oakeshott, Tony Zappia, John Murphy, Paul Neville, Malcolm Turnbull, Simon Birmingham, Doug Cameron, Barnaby Joyce and Matt Thistlethwaite.
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