Australian TV industry - General Discussion

In France, they have sponsored mic socks!

This better not be a thing in Australia!

(sorry for poor pic, McDonalds logo on mic sock below)

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That’s actually just the league’s logo.

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Not entirely new for naming rights sponsors, for years Supercars had co-branded mic socs with Virgin Australia branding etc.

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ACMA seeks views on TV prominence rules

From January 2026, all connected TV devices sold in Australia must comply with new rules made under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992. These rules are designed to make it easier for Australians to find and access free-to-air services and apps on their smart TVs and similar devices.

The ACMA will oversee and enforce the TV prominence framework. Feedback and evidence from the consultation will help determine if, and how, we use our new powers. We seek your views on:

  • the types of devices that should be included
  • how regulated TV services and apps should be displayed
  • how broadcasters will make their apps available to device manufacturers.

The paper is available on the consultation page, and we will accept submissions until 15 October 2024.

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Looks like Seven and Ten inching towards a deal that would see seven buy SCA stations in Tasmania, SA and Darwin with 10 picking up the affiliates in Victoria, Southern NSW and Queensland.

This could take over the next month with no guarantees. 10 would then have to try and get their Northern NSW affiliate from WIN.

One wonders what happens to the JV in Darwin and Tasmania in these scenarios.

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Big development but good for the industry.

No doubt Seven want Tasmania, especially with the launch of the new AFL team down there.

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You would expect the purchaser to grab the 50 per cent share from the incumbent selling. There should be no issues around ownership from the other co-owner as the purchasers are established industry participants.

I don’t see seven and 10 working together to operate a Jv. Can the license be transferred to one owner? Or are there laws over the creation of these JV.

I had heard a deal had been pretty well been struck with someone, it may have been done at the same time as the SCA deal (I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a bit of a three-party deal)

ACMA may seek a legal opinion, but the legislation seems to indicate that a single operator can hold the licence. Something to consider as well is that they won’t want to trigger any ownership based content laws.

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So if the SCA stations are sold to Seven and 10 and NRN is sold to 10, that would leave just WIN, Imparja and the JV’s/Solus Markets as independent, and I wouldn’t be surprised if WIN’s stations are folded into Nine if Bruce decides to merge WIN and Nine.

With this, the question is who gets SA/Broken Hill stations? It is a one operator market and Ten are getting the 10 stations/Seven are getting the Seven stations so what will happen there?

Interesting to see that 10/Paramount are looking at buying the affiliates in what I would call the ‘big 4’ regional markets (NNSW, SNSW, Reg QLD and Reg VIC) given the general doom and gloom surrounding the future of regional television and in particular 10’s continuing presence in the regional TV market.

I suspect for the next few years at least, we will see all 3 networks continue to broadcast in these major regional markets from the major high-power transmitters, however I would imagine that a lot of the infill transmitters will be unlikely to be replaced when they reach end of life (or lease) and will get slowly phased out.

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Would be in the networks interests to acquire the QQQ, IMP and CDT licences so those smaller infills can be replaced by VAST when it’s uneconomical to upgrade/replace transmission equipment.

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Can’t that happen without them taking them over?

I’m not saying it can’t.

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Statement on Deputy Chair of ACMA

The Albanese Government will commence a selection process for the next Deputy Chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in the coming weeks, with current Deputy Chair Ms Creina Chapman advising she is retiring and will not seek reappointment at the completion of her term.

The Government acknowledges Ms Chapman for her outstanding leadership and contribution to the ACMA since her initial appointment in June 2018.

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It was contained in Communications Minister Michelle Rowland’s keynote speech at RadComms 2024 in Melbourne this week.

Our Government is seeking to explore the possibility of realising a digital dividend: options for the more efficient use of spectrum and infrastructure for television, which enables potential reallocation of spectrum to other uses.

The first step will be the development of a discussion paper to support engagement with interested parties on this important initiative, to be released for consultation in early 2025.

Spectrum requirements for television will depend on an assessment of the optimal mix of delivery mechanisms in 5, 10, and 20 years. They need to consider the role and capabilities of broadband infrastructure. And they need to be grounded by a view of what television should look like in the medium-term.

The Government will engage right across the ecosystem: with broadcasters, infrastructure providers, mobile network operators, and consumers to ensure a shared understanding of what television in Australia should look like in a decade, and what is needed to get there.

https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/speech/radcomms-2024-melbourne

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Some of that vision is over 10 years old, seriously!

And no, no ditching of the broadcast tax until 24/7 shopping channels are removed and children’s content is restored and or the commercials are levied to support the production of children’s content on the ABC in lieu of no children’s content returning to the commercials. The commercials can not have their cake and eat it too.

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