ABC not immune from pressures: Labor

The ABC isn't immune from the effects of digital search engines and social media platforms, Labor's communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland says.

It's not only commercial news organisations and broadcasters feeling the heat from emerging platforms like Facebook and Google, Labor claims.

The party has promised to reverse a funding freeze on the ABC, restoring $83 million to the broadcaster's budget if it wins the next election.

Labor's communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland says the ABC believes it has made every efficiency possible over the last five years and "this is the thin edge of the wedge".

While digital platforms, including Facebook and Google, eat into the advertising revenues of commercial news companies and other broadcasters, ABC is feeling it too.

"ABC is not immune from that disruption either, it is competing in areas such as content and ensuring that they attract and create the best content and that (it) is accessible to Australians," she told Sky News.

While commercial news organisations are answerable to shareholders, Ms Rowland said the ABC's shareholders were all Australians.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is currently investigating the effects of digital search engines, social media and other digital platforms on competition in media and advertising.

A preliminary report is due in December.