Networks unveil campaign ahead of federal election
"Free for Everyone" campaign highlights three areas of concern ahead of 2022 election.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
Free TV Australia, the lobby group for commercial free-to-air broadcasters, has unveiled a ‘Free. For Everyone.’ campaign ahead of the 2022 federal election.
Highlighting the value of Free to Air to all Australians it also sets out policy strategy, prompted by the government’s Media Reform Green Paper.
Free TV CEO, Bridget Fair said: “With over 13 million daily viewers and $1.5 billion invested in Australian local content, commercial free-to-air television continues to unite the nation through broadcasting moments of national and cultural significance without cost to the viewer.
“We are an inherently inclusive service that all Australians can access no matter where they live or what they do. As our government considers what the future of broadcasting looks like in Australia, we need to ensure no one is left out and free commercial services can continue to thrive.”
The three areas of concern surround the anti-siphoning list, access to FTA on Smart TVs and spectrum license fees.
Free TV Chairman, Greg Hywood, said: “Television has undergone a lot of change. Australians have more choice now than ever before with new technology and the arrival of multi-national entertainment companies.
“But free-to-air television delivers critical services that no other platform does – free, universal, locally relevant viewing to all Australian homes.”
There’s no longer any push around local content obligations after the government agree to more flexibility.
The campaign will roll out across outdoor, radio, TV, and digital from today.
2 Responses
It’ll be interesting to watch the path Viacom/CBS/10/Paramount+ take as the months roll on.
Whilst Nine has become an impressive Aussie media juggernaut on its own terms, I do believe the 7 Network (once it swallows Prime) will be bought by Disney/ABC or NBC/Universal. I’m sure the Murdochs no longer have any interest in free-to-air TV.
FTA is under pressure, what next, that’s what operating any commercial enterprise is all about, you either adapt, restructure or fold; Most of the major FTA channels look to have settled on finding their own niche which is News and Reality TV concepts, they also have conceded that catch up TV (streaming) is the future of TV broadcasting, it being more adaptable to an ever changing viewer market and a place to put unwanted drama shows, they also have their own streaming apps like Nine / Stan. This is the way forward, FTA cant force change on Netflix or Disney+ by getting the federal government to impose draconian local content laws or forcing them to increase subscriber prices. Advertising agencies would love to exploit the streaming market but that would put a lot of pressure on subscriber numbers, besides Smart TV’s through the Google TV OS create enough ad / data collecting impost as it is.