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What’s the LNP policy?
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The LNP tried unsuccessfully to abolish the anti-siphoning legislation whilst in office. They did, however, remove some events such as the FA Cup soccer (which is now only on Paramount+).
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At no stage did the LNP try to abolish the anti siphoning list. Yeah they gave Foxtel a bunch of money to air womens sport when they cut the licence fees for the FTA networks.
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Let us not forget that the Abbott government forced SBS to on-sell part of its rights to the 2018 FIFA World Cup to Optus Sport.
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SBS had a long-term commitment they could no longer afford (in part thanks to funding cuts/freezes), so they elected to on-sell the rights. They could have cut something else and kept the World Cup
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Not to mention SBS also benefitted from the on-sell arrangement since Optus sub-licensed one Premier League game to SBS each matchday.
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The proposed legislations return to the Senate today.
Laws passed late today
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Not all they were cracked up to be: new TV laws fail to deliver for all Australians
Free TV Australia today expressed its disappointment that the Prominence and Anti-Siphoning legislation passed by the Senate today does not deliver for all Australians.
Anti-siphoning and prominence laws that were supposed to guarantee free sports and easy access to local TV have passed - but the laws presented to the Parliament by Minister Rowland have failed to ensure that every Australian can share the unforgettable sporting moments that unite us. And only those who can afford a new TV set will get the benefit of prominence rules designed to make it easy to find local news and Australian stories on our screens.
“Free to Air broadcasting is meant to be the universally accessible destination that binds all Australians together. Sadly, with the passing of this bill we will now see a nation of the haves and have-nots when it comes to accessing the broadcasts and online services of our beloved commercial and national networks. How could this be allowed to happen in a country that has always celebrated the fair go for all?”
“We know 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 per cent 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,” said Free TV CEO Bridget Fair.
“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”.
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 who pay for prime real estate on viewers’ screens. But the new laws will only apply to new TVs supplied in 18 months’ time. So 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.
“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 - when people are already struggling to balance weekly grocery budgets and pay energy bills. 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 and Free TV has vowed to work actively to improve them for the benefit of all Australians.
“Whether it’s the debate about these laws, policies to support public interest journalism in the face of rising mis- and disinformation, and Meta’s refusal to pay for news, or prohibitive spectrum taxes, Free TV will continue to stand up for Australian audiences, local news and local stories”.
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Boohoo, take the L and move on.
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I think they should count themselves lucky that they are even being given this level of preferential treatment.
You want people to consume your product? Invest in quality products instead. Putting crap front and centre isn’t going to stop someone from accessing the programs they actually want to watch.
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I think Free TV has a valid point. Why is the loophole not closed? What are the political parties in Senate afraid of?
The next NRL broadcast rights deal will be the first test for the new legislation.
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The free to air games available via aerial could be shown via streaming for free by Kayo freebies or another provider in front of the paywall, and not just be restricted to the free to air network apps.
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freetv had no problem when market economics moved scripted Australian drama and kids off our screens depriving Australians of their right to free aussie drama and kids shows
Yet when sport shows signs of going the same way do to market economics they run paid scare campaigns
Hypocrisy
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Drama and kids shows did not rate, they were business compliance costs they wanted to be rid of.
Seven ran a story on the outcome tonight; the most prominent “foreign-owned stream giant” seen in the story was Paramount +
“Australians could soon be paying thousands a year for sports subscriptions…”
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I have been streaming sports online without the need of an aerial. Get along with the times.
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Press release from Greens communications spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
Aussies forced to pay for sport as Government & Coalition sell-out to Murdoch on ‘Anti-Siphoning’
Australians will be forced to use their credit card to pay for sport locked behind streaming paywalls after the Labor, Liberal and National parties caved in to the Murdoch media and the US streaming giants today, ramming their weak sports streaming bill through the Senate.
The Greens have been fighting to ensure sport is free for all to watch on both old-school aerial broadcast television, and on smart TVs, iPads, iPhones and Broadcast Video On Demand (BVOD) platforms.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens Spokesperson for Communications, Manager of Greens Business in the Senate:
“The Government and the Coalition have sold out free sport today, doing the dirty work of the Murdoch media and giant American streaming corporations like Amazon and Netflix.
“Labor, Liberal and the Nationals have colluded to ram through a law that is going to make it harder for millions of households around the country to access sport for free.
“We could have fixed this sports streaming law to protect free access to significant events like the Matildas, the rugby, the footy and the Olympics in our digital age. Now, Australians will need to pull out their credit card and pay Mr. Murdoch on Kayo for the privilege of barracking for their own team.
“Regional communities where local television stations are increasingly closing down, you’ve been sold down the river today by the National Party who chose big corporate profits over the community’s right to free sport in a digital age.
“This Government is out of touch on the cost of living, out of touch with young people, out of touch with regional Australia. They are technological troglodytes.”
Pretty strong worded statement from the Greens.
I feel the Nationals Senators could have opposed the bill in its current form, as a protest vote towards the federal government’s slow reaction to the closure of Mildura Digital Television which occurred in a Nationals seat (Mallee). Instead, the Nationals follow the Liberals and voted yes.
I think Free TV’s “keep sport free” campaign will now continue indefinitely, until the organisation’s demands are met.
They did until the networks decided to start pumping out some real turds that people didn’t want to watch.
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