Changes to Australian Broadcasting and Cross media Ownership Announced

[guns1inger]

Federal Communications Minister Helen Coonan yesterday announced major changes to Australian FTA broadcasting and cross-media ownership laws were to be put before parliment. The changes are a major dismantling of the previous government's legislation, and have met with a mixed reaction. For consumers they are a mixed bag

The Good :

Current digital restrictions to be removed, allowing the current commercial networks to offer up to three extra FTA digital channels of programming each

Current restrictions on program content on the ABC and SBS secondary digital channels to be relaxed, allowing a wider range of programs. This removes the current restriction of no entertainment programming.

The existing analogue network to be shutdown in 2010, extending the current deadline by 2 years

Anti-siphoning laws to be tightened, with a use-it-or-lose-it clause for major sporting events. This will prevent commercial stations buying the rights to major sporting events such as The Ashes, then refusing to broadcast them. It they cannot fit them into their schedule the rights must be given to pay television.

The Bad

No new commercial television stations to be established in competition to the existing three networks

There are also major changes to the cross-media ownership laws, removing the restrictions on owning different media outlets in the same capitial cities or regions. There must still be at least five different owners in capitial cities, and four in regional areas.

Critics are saying that this only perpetuates the current oligopoly and does not reward inovation or encourage development of new programming.



It will be interesting to see what the stations do with their new channels, if anything. SBS have used their second channnel to broadcast live native language news services, while the ABC have used theirs for childrens programming, news and endless repeats of the Montreux Jazz Festival. As two out of the three commercial stations are heavily invested in pay TV as well, they may not wish to use too much of their spare content on the FTA audience.

Digital take up in Australia, a country renowned for it's early adoption of technologies such as video, DVD and mobile phones, has been very slow, still running at less than 10% after several years of digital broadcast. Critics have blamed the lack of digital content for the disappointing take up rate. Will the new laws do anything to encourage change ? Only time will tell.

[festmaster]

So by this legislation, the Australian analogue stations go dead in 2010. The US has a firm date in 2009. Are there any other countries seriously considering a drop-dead date for analogue television?

[JourneymanIM]

So by this legislation, the Australian analogue stations go dead in 2010. The US has a firm date in 2009. Are there any other countries seriously considering a drop-dead date for analogue television?

The UK 2009-2010

[MIBlackburn_d6]

The UK 2009-2010

The UK is actually swapping between 2008 and 2012.

http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk/dig_switchover/wtdigswitchover_home.html

[drewzor]

deleted

[JourneymanIM]

The UK 2009-2010

The UK is actually swapping between 2008 and 2012.

http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk/dig_switchover/wtdigswitchover_home.html

Yea sorry my bad
That was for my area thought it was the same for the whole UK