Seems similar to the Freely service being launched in the UK. Main difference being though is that I believe that it’s only being rolled out on new TVs there, i.e. it’s not available as a set top box for existing TVs.
Will be interesting to see if it’s just a set top box or if they start partnering with TV suppliers as well to run the technology natively.
Will be interesting to see if the availability of VAST in “service deficient” areas like Mildura will
a. Make other networks less likely to switch off their 10 feeds
b. Give those viewers access to 7 Central and IMP even though they still have access of local versions of 7 and 9.
Surely VAST encryption would be smart enough to blank out QQQ and IMP, but allow the reception of CDT in the Mildura licence area?
Seven and WIN risk losing viewers that don’t want to hop between devices which I think would be quite a few. They’re mad if they don’t restrict access to just CDT.
You would think/hope so.
This could also make 7 and WIN more interested in buying the QQQ and IMP licences so they can switch off a lot of smaller TXs in their current licence areas and move them all over to VAST. And make it cheaper to get a VAST receiver as well through economies of scale.
Would make QQQ and IMP more viable at the same time too.
Do we really need another device?
I think that QQQ and IMP shouldn’t have restrictions placed on their signals for a number of reasons, one being that the VAST service is available to free to air viewers in difficult reception areas. Putting a block on the service could prevent access to some viewers without intended to.
Why should QQQ and IMP be punished for Seven and Wins actions.
What some are suggesting would be like Woolworths closing down a Big W store saying you will have to go to another town to shop at Big W or go online. I seriously doubt someone would go to another town to a Big W store without going to another Woolworths store. I think if QQQ and IMP signals come through, it would be away of making WIN and Seven a bit more cautious about cutting services
I think so as this one will attempt to solve a problem. We should have had something like this years ago, but the Freeview consortium only want to work together if News Corp or Fetch do all the development it seems.
Not if they are losing money. There comes a point where you have no choice but to cut to maintain the positive financial performance of the rest of the business.
Especially with Seven now paying for a journalist in Mildura, makes it more likely WIN and Seven would leave Mildura full stop if all VAST services were available like that.
Android TV already has the capability to merge IPTV and Antenna, yet to my knowledge, none of the FTA broadcasters are using it. I get that it’s a problem worth solving, but generating more eWaste to solve it doesn’t seem like a good outcome, especially when the market already has multiple options that could be tapped into (focus the wasted energy in trying to get apps prominent on new tvs to having a more convergent setup that merges IPTV and Terrestrial)
If Freeview or Free TV Australia are going to go down this path, then they should give serious consideration to integrating the ability to have a VAST input too so those who have Satellite only access can also benefit from the convergence of broadcast and IPTV
Love the name of this.
NCIS: Project Mildura… Coming soon to a VAST TV near you… or stream on 10Play. 
Free TV Australia today opened public consultation on its updated draft Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice (the Code).
Free TV has undertaken a thorough review of the Code to consider whether it provides appropriate community safeguards. After taking into account relevant research and investigation reports of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which registers and enforces the Code, Free TV has updated the Code which remains broadly fit for purpose and retains the comprehensive framework that has ensured over many years that commercial television is considered a trusted source of news, current affairs, sport and entertainment for all Australians.
Free TV CEO Bridget Fair said, “The Free TV Code of Practice provides robust safeguards in accordance with community standards in areas such as program classification, accuracy and impartiality in news, placement of commercials and program promotions and advertising time limits. The Code assists viewers in making informed choices about their own television viewing and that of the children in their care, and provides effective mechanisms for receiving and handling viewer feedback and complaints.
Free TV has updated the Code in the following key respects:
- Simplifying our M-zone classification times, to better align with the codes of practice of other television broadcasters
- Strengthening and increasing timeliness of corrections and clarifications of errors of fact in news and current affairs programs
- Enhancing the delivery of warnings during high impact news reporting
- Making it easier to lodge a complaint online
- Removing outdated references and modernising the language in the Code.
“These changes will ensure that the Code remains in line with community standards and continues to operate effectively well into the future. Commercial television broadcasters in
Australia are some of the most highly-regulated content platforms, and have a strong track record of compliance with the Code provisions,” Ms Fair said.“The community expects commercial television broadcasters to deliver content that that is safe, entertaining and informative, while also empowering Australians to make choices about what they and their families watch. They also expect accurate and impartial news journalism and current affairs that brings public interest stories to light, while also balancing fairness to individuals. That is exactly what the Code achieves,” Ms Fair said.
Free TV has not at this stage reviewed the Code provisions with respect to gambling advertising. Those provisions will be updated in due course when the Government has finalised its review of gambling advertising and related matters. Changes to these provisions of the Code will form part of a separate public consultation at a later time.
The public is invited to provide feedback by email, electronic form or post. Public consultation will close on 11 November 2024. For further information, see Free TV’s Code Review website.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has welcomed Free TV Australia’s public consultation of its draft code of practice. On registration by the ACMA, this code would establish a revised set of rules for what can and can’t be shown on commercial television.
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said that public consultation is a critical part of the code review process.
“Consultation allows viewers and the broader community to raise concerns they may have about the current rules and let broadcasters know about the standards they expect when watching free-to-air television,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
“The ACMA has been encouraging Free TV to review and update its code, which was last fully reviewed in 2015, to better respond to the changing media landscape and address contemporary audience expectations.”
As part of the review process, the ACMA has shared with Free TV its views on a range of issues based on its regulatory and research activities.
“We are pleased to see that some of these have been addressed through revisions to the draft code and we welcome Free TV seeking the public’s views on issues raised by the ACMA,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
“We also reiterate our calls for television broadcasters to voluntarily extend these code provisions to all television-like content available on their on-demand streaming services. This would ensure viewers can benefit from the same safeguards regardless of how they are watching content offered by Australian television broadcasters.
“Under current co-regulatory arrangements, broadcasters have an important responsibility to develop codes that provide appropriate content safeguards for their audiences. We encourage interested individuals and organisations to make a submission to this process.”
Codes of practice are drafted by the broadcasting industry but can only be registered if the ACMA is satisfied they provide appropriate community safeguards. Public submissions made to the consultation will be reviewed by the ACMA and may help inform its considerations for registration.
The consultation is open for 6 weeks until 11 November 2024. You can find more information about making a submission on Free TV’s website.
The ACMA’s views on the key issues it has raised with Free TV in the code review process is available on the ACMA website.
The Government has today announced a review of the broadcast spectrum band. This spectrum has been designated for the delivery of broadcasting for decades for the simple reason that free, universal Australian television services are critical to the fabric of our society.
This must remain the underlying principle of this review. Speaking in response to the announcement of the review, Free TV CEO Bridget Fair said: “Free TV has a strong future over the next decade and beyond. Our services reach more than 20 million Australians every week. It is essential that the Government recognises and supports this through this latest consultation process and we will be playing an active role in this process to ensure the best outcome for Australian TV viewers.
“While many Australians are now delighting in being able to watch their Free TV services by streaming live channels and catching up at their convenience or exploring all the on demand free content that could never have been conceived as possible to access even one decade ago, millions of Australians will continue to rely upon having access to television that’s delivered over the air using broadcast spectrum. This will still be the case 10 years from now” said Free TV CEO Bridget Fair.
“Planning for the future is sensible, and understanding how or if high quality free TV services can be delivered with less demand on spectrum but no reduction in quality or quantity will be critical in ensuring free Australian TV remains available to everyone.
“Free TV delivers vital services that no other platform does – free locally relevant services available to every Australian no matter where they live, or how much they earn.
“We spend $1.67 billion on Australian content, deliver live and free sport that brings the country together and produce trusted local news. We are the cornerstone of the Australian production industry and our news services are vital to Australian democracy. The upheaval in the media sector dominated by global digital platforms means that our services are more important than ever. No other platform is going to replicate these contributions to the Australian way of life.
“Right now, the industry needs the Government to recognise that Free TV services are a critical element of our media mix and act decisively to support their sustainability. The most important thing the Government can do is to remove the onerous and outdated Commercial Broadcast Tax that should have been addressed before 2022. We are still waiting for a Government response to Meta pulling out of the News Media Bargaining Code which has seen millions of dollars bleed from our sector,” Ms Fair said.
I would only agree to removal of “the onerous and outdated Commercial Broadcast Tax” only when home shopping channels are removed and children’s content is either restored or the commercials help fund children’s content on the ABC and all services go HD and not before.
I don’t necessarily agree with removing commercial broadcast tax in exchange for eliminating home shopping channels. However, I believe that given these channels are present plus all the multi channels, I believe home shopping should be removed from the main channels.
I do agree about returning the requirements for children’s programming, even if it is done on the basis of for every 2 hours multichannel airs home shopping, then their must be 1 hour of children’s television, with the following minimums
Children/family friendly new content must be at a minimum of 360 hours a year with a minimum of 260 hours being Australian content; and
there must be at least 180 hours of P rated programming a year - averaging at half an hour a day with at least two thirds being new Australian produced content - this would mean that a station could not fill the requirements with something like Barney and Friends.
Additional children’s/family friendly content of 50 hours a year. Stations could under this provision air screen older classic cartoon content to fulfil this requirement as it would not be specified as new content. The content would be discretionary.
Effective this would mean on average there would be a requirement of at least 11.5 hours a week of children and family friendly content with 7.5 hours being specifically new C and P rated Australian content.
No, they should be making sure that our spectrum is used to its best potential
Commercial broadcasters want to allow M-rated content for an additional two hours a day and to remove protections for children during school holidays and weekends, a push which comes as they lobby the government not to ban gambling ads.
The broadcasting regulator has warned the Free TV lobby group their proposal to allow more time for M-rated or mature content would expose children under 15 to alcohol advertising.
The proposal to extend M zones is one of the changes to the self-regulatory Free TV code of practice, which has not been updated for a decade. The code would establish a revised set of rules for what can and cannot be shown on commercial television.
The proposal, if registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), is to extend M programming from three to five hours a day – from 10am to 3pm – and to make no allowances for school holidays and weekends.
(the heading is “Australian free-to-air TV stations push for more M-rated content hours and watered down child protections” )
i am wondering why they are pushing this for an extension of what they can screen and when, particularly considering the only main channel that may benefit based on current programming is Ten.
I realise these changes are probably more targeted towards the multichannels, but still there are other slots throughout the 24 hour cycle where these m rated programs could air, such as early mornings on main channels where they fill it with endless hours of infomercials - these morning slots are where some of these infomercials could screen