Who Owns Sky News Australia?

Sky News Australia's sustainability and ethics profile is focused on editorial standards and journalistic practices rather than environmental sustainability, as is typical for a news media organization.

Editorial Standards: Sky News Australia maintains editorial standards and follows Australian media regulations, including those enforced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The channel has correction policies and editorial oversight mechanisms. However, the channel has faced significant criticism regarding editorial bias and misinformation, which is covered in detail in the Recalls and Controversies section.

Environmental Impact: As a news media organization, Sky News Australia's environmental footprint is relatively small compared to manufacturing or resource companies. The channel's environmental initiatives are part of News Corp Australia's broader corporate sustainability efforts, which include energy-efficient broadcasting facilities and waste reduction programs. No specific environmental certifications or carbon neutrality targets have been published for Sky News Australia.

B Corp Status: Neither Sky News Australia nor News Corp Australia is a certified B Corporation.

Media Diversity Concerns: Sky News Australia's ownership by News Corp Australia, which also controls major Australian newspapers and has a 50% stake in Foxtel, has raised concerns about media concentration in Australia. Media reform advocates have argued that News Corp's cross-platform dominance reduces media diversity in Australia. These concerns are a matter of ongoing public debate in Australian media policy.

Fact-Checking and Accuracy: Sky News Australia has faced multiple incidents where its content was found to contain misinformation or false claims, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and in climate change coverage. YouTube's one-week ban in 2021 for COVID-19 misinformation violations is the most notable instance of a platform taking enforcement action against the channel. These incidents are covered in detail in the Recalls and Controversies section.

Sky News Australia has received recognition from Australian media industry organizations, particularly for news coverage and political reporting.

ASTRA Awards: Sky News Australia has received multiple ASTRA Awards (Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association Awards) across categories including news presentation, current affairs coverage, and journalism. These awards recognize excellence in Australian subscription television.

Logie Awards: Sky News Australia has received Logie Awards, which recognize excellence in Australian television. These awards acknowledge the channel's contribution to Australian television news programming.

Walkley Awards: Sky News Australia journalists have received Walkley Awards, Australia's most prestigious journalism awards. These awards recognize excellence in investigative journalism, political reporting, and current affairs coverage. The Walkley Foundation is an independent organization that evaluates journalistic quality.

Kennedy Awards: Sky News Australia has received Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism, recognizing contributions to Australian journalism. These awards are independently judged by media professionals.

Election Coverage Recognition: The channel has received recognition for its election coverage, particularly during Australian federal elections. Sky News Australia's election night broadcasts and political analysis have been noted for detailed, real-time reporting.

Sky News Australia's awards are primarily from Australian media industry organizations. The channel has not received international journalism awards such as Peabody Awards or Emmy Awards for news programming.

Sky News Australia has faced significant controversies related to political bias, misinformation, and editorial standards. These controversies have attracted national and international attention.

Political Bias and Editorial Direction: Sky News Australia has been widely criticized for its conservative, right-wing editorial bias. Media monitoring organizations including Media Bias/Fact Check have rated Sky News Australia as having a strong right-wing bias. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described the channel as a "legitimising echo-chamber for this increasingly far-right, extremist worldview." The channel's opinion programming is frequently critical of progressive political parties and policies while supporting conservative positions. The channel's editorial direction has been compared to Fox News in the United States.

Platform for Extremist Views (2018): In August 2018, Sky News Australia faced major criticism for broadcasting an interview with Blair Cottrell, leader of the far-right United Patriots Front. The interview on The Adam Giles Show drew condemnation from journalists and politicians. Sky News presenter Laura Jayes publicly criticized the decision. Former Labor minister Craig Emerson resigned from his contributor role in protest, stating that the interview was "another step in a journey to normalising racism and bigotry in our country." Sky News Australia apologized for the interview and stated it should not have been broadcast.

COVID-19 Misinformation (2020 to 2021): During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sky News Australia commentators spread misinformation about public health measures and vaccines. Alan Jones and Craig Kelly falsely claimed that UK data proved COVID-19 vaccination increased death risk. These claims were debunked by BBC, Full Fact, and Reuters fact-checking services. In August 2021, YouTube barred Sky News Australia from uploading content for one week due to violations of YouTube's COVID-19 misinformation policy. The ban prevented the channel from posting new videos for seven days. Sky News Australia criticized the ban but did not appeal it.

Climate Change Misinformation (2021 to 2022): A 2022 analysis by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) found that Sky News Australia was a major source of climate change misinformation. The channel promoted a retracted journal article claiming there was no evidence of climate change. The video containing these claims was viewed over 500,000 times on YouTube before being removed. Sky News Australia rejected the ISD's findings, stating they would "continue to encourage debate" on climate change.

Great Reset Conspiracy Theory (2020): In December 2020, Sky News Australia presenter Rowan Dean promoted the Great Reset conspiracy theory on air, claiming it was "as serious and dangerous a threat to our prosperity" as had been faced in decades. American far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones subsequently used Sky News Australia segments to support his claims on his InfoWars platform. The Great Reset conspiracy theory alleges that global elites are using the COVID-19 pandemic to implement authoritarian control.

Daniel Andrews Coverage: Sky News Australia has been criticized for its coverage of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Channel commentators dubbed Andrews a "dictator" for his government's lockdown measures. Andrews responded publicly, calling the channel's prime time coverage "bullshit" and "the worst of American politics imported into ours." The coverage generated significant public debate about media standards in Australia.

2026 Rebranding: In 2026, Sky News Australia announced it would rebrand as News24 due to the expiration of News Corp's license to the Sky News brand. The rebranding reflects both the licensing expiration and the channel's editorial divergence from Sky News UK. Sky News UK, owned by Comcast, maintains a more centrist editorial position and has distanced itself from the Australian channel's editorial direction.

Current Status: Despite these controversies, Sky News Australia maintains a significant audience in Australia, particularly through its digital platforms. The channel's YouTube channel continues to grow, and its opinion programs generate substantial engagement. The 2026 rebranding to News24 represents an attempt to establish an independent brand identity separate from the Sky News franchise.