Free TV Australia has said it is "disappointed" that the Prominence and Anti-Siphoning legislation passed by the Senate does not "deliver for all Australians".
The prominence framework concerns new laws that require manufacturers to provide free of charge: access to all TV channels provided by Australia’s free local networks; installation of all local TV apps in the first positions on home screens; and free local TV content first in search results and recommendations.
The anti-siphoning scheme stops pay television broadcasters from buying the rights to events on the anti-siphoning list unless free-to-air broadcasters have the right to televise the event.
Free TV CEO Bridget Fair said that increasing numbers of Australians are watching their free TV services online but these laws leave those people with no guarantee of free sport.
"Research shows that 69% of Australians access their TV via the internet, so it’s hard to understand why these laws do not look after their interests and guarantee free sport for the millions who watch TV online,” she said.
“The laws contain significant gaps that will ultimately undermine the whole anti-siphoning framework and force Australians to pay thousands of dollars to streaming services to access the sporting events that Australians expect to watch for free”.
Free TV said the the prominence regime was meant to ensure that free local TV services are available and easy to find on connected TVs, not just the global streaming services, but the new laws will only apply to new TVs supplied in 18 months’ time.
"If you’ve already got a connected TV it will be the paid apps you’ll continue to see at the top of your screen," said Fair.
“The prominence rules should apply to both new and existing connected TVs. We all know that not everyone can afford a new TV - especially at the moment - and even the Government’s own research shows that less than 1 in 10 people buy a new TV set each year.
"And just like with our smart phones, our connected TVs get automatic software updates on a very regular basis. There is simply no reason to limit these new requirements to new TVs. Similar laws that passed in the UK only weeks ago do not include this inexplicable limitation and apply to all sets not just new ones”.
The laws are subject to mandatory legislative review.
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