Former deputy PM fighting for media reform

Former deputy prime Minister Tim Fischer has joined the campaign for media reforms, warning regional broadcasters won't be viable without change.

Former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer has joined the campaign for media reforms. (AAP)

Regional broadcasters have a prominent new face in their fight for media reforms - a former deputy prime minister.

Tim Fischer is frontman for the Save our Voices campaign that seeks to repeal the reach rule which prevents TV licence holders from broadcasting to more than 75 per cent of the population as well as the two-out-of-three rule which limits ownership of radio, TV and newspapers.

"To make (Prime, WIN, Southern Cross Austereo and Imparja) viable you have to take away the ancient barbed wire regulations that belong in the past," Mr Fischer told ABC TV on Wednesday.