THE Greens leader, Senator Bob Brown, said yesterday he was confident Labor would agree to an inquiry into the Australian media, despite uncertainty in cabinet and opposition from many sections of the media.

''I think we will get there, the differences now are really over how broad or narrow the terms of reference might be,'' he said.

Some Labor sources agreed an inquiry was likely but others have reservations, or believe Labor should instead broaden the terms of reference of the separate ''convergence review'' into the changing media landscape.

The ABC managing director, Mark Scott, said a review was a matter for the government. ''As far as the ABC is concerned, we already have a very major inquiry under way - that is the convergence review,'' Mr Scott said.

The chief executive of Free TV Australia, Julie Flynn, said another review was unnecessary because the media was already subject to extensive regulation.

The government's decision about an inquiry is coming against a backdrop of a bitter dispute with News Ltd over assertions about the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, made in a column published in The Australian on Monday. The paper issued a retraction and apology, but when Ms Gillard attacked the paper for ''publishing a false report in contravention of all known standards of journalism'', News Ltd's chief executive, John Hartigan, hit back, describing her complaints as ''pedantic''.

The Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, said columns written in recent days were ''of real concern''. ''We continually get these extreme views … including the slander against the Prime Minister, and I think it's about time people acted responsibly,'' he said.

But Mr Albanese said the decision about an inquiry into the media should not be made in the context of ''any particular issues''.

Senior Liberals said they were unimpressed when an affidavit concerning the allegations involving a former boyfriend of Ms Gillard's was posted in a link from the conservative Menzies House website, set up by Senator Cory Bernardi.

Senator Brown said he would move to set up an inquiry.