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No soup for you as new channels shelved

The Rudd Labor Government has shelved the launch of several new TV channels amid concerns policy and technical flaws would make them unviable. Communications Minister Conroy said the government could not auction the spectrum set aside for the channels until it undertook yet another review.

More than a dozen new digital channels were expected to start this year under changes by the former Howard government aimed at introducing greater competition to the $12 billion sector in the wake of media ownership reforms, The Australian Financial Review reports.

The services were to include at least 15 mobile TV channels for hand-held devices such as mobile phones and a similar number for in-home digital set-top boxes, increasing competition for existing networks.

“We’ll reach a decision on whether to proceed or not during the second half of the year, there’s no suggestion of an auction in the near future,” Conroy said.

Senator Conroy blamed a deal struck two years ago by his predecessor Helen Coonan to appease Nationals MPs for the delay, but Senator Coonan accused him of caving to pressure from commercial networks.

Senator Conroy also flagged overhauling concessions given to pay TV giant Foxtel when it entered the market more than 10 years ago, because some could no longer be justified given the company was profitable.

Source: news.com.au

4 Responses

  1. I don’t think keeping competition away will increase the number of viewing public. Content on the FTA is crap and Foxtel is too expensive, so for me is back to DVD and ocassional ABC and SBS viewing.

  2. If the current networks are interfering its such a shame. More digital channels would create more jobs and the competition would do nothing but make the current networks lift their game.
    Competition is good!! It keeps us on our toes and digging that little bit deeper!
    Plus I just wanna have more channels cause it would be cool 😛

    Yo Dave! I love Seinfeld but I’m wondering what the reference is? You wouldn’t be referring to the decision makers as…. ??? hehe

  3. I wouldn’t have thought the technical problems would be the biggest hurdle. Considering the current channels show an enormous amount of pap, the problem would be lack of content.

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