Australia's broadcasters call for 'urgent reform' amid losses due to streaming services

Since online streaming platforms have widely dominated tritional TV programs, Australian Commercial television brocasters have reportedly called for ‘deregulation’ of content. brocasters’ lobby group, Free TV have called out on Australian government in a statement released on July 5 to ‘urgently reform’ regulatory framework so brocasters have option to deliver Australian content which is being demanded by audiences. 

This move comes as tritional Australian content ranging from drama to children’s programs is driving audiences away fro free-to-air television to streaming services. According to international media reports, audiences have drastically shifted ir likeliness to OTT platforms resulting in a huge loss for Australian programs that were once profitable. According to international media reports, audience for a local program that was an aver of one million in 2008 fell to 400,000 in 2018. At same time, production of such programs has spiked from $500,00 per hour to $760,000 per hour in last dece.

Re - COVID-19: Australia's Victoria To Close Borders For 1st Time In 100 Yrs

Seven West Media, Nine Entertainment, Network 10, Sourn Cross Austereo, Prime Media Group, WIN Network and Imparja Television under umbrella of Free TV Australia have said that y invest nearly $1.6 billion on country’s content dispute plunging revenues caused by disruption of langu as 85 per cent of ir content is in Australian. 

Free TV Australia said in a statement, “Free TV Australia today called on government to urgently reform Australian content regulatory framework to provide commercial television brocasters with flexibility to deliver Australian content that audiences are demanding.”

Re - Australia Shuts State Border For First Time In 100 Years Amid Surge In COVID-19 Cases

‘Content same for 20 years’

Commenting on Free TV’s submission to government’s options paper, ‘Supporting Australian stories on our screens’, Free TV CEO, Bridget Fair said that reform is required to current quota system because it is almost like stepping into a time machine to past.  Fair even ted that despite fundamental change in landscape of media re is still a lack of significant change in Australian content for nearly two deces. 

Bridget Fair said: “ current quota system is like stepping into a time machine straight back to 1980’s.  It clearly needs significant reform.

“We have seen fundamental change in media landscape but re has been significant change in Australian content regulation for almost 20 years,” she ded.

Re - Asia Today: Australian State's Cases Spike, Borders To Shut

Re - Australian State Records Highest Daily Increase

Im: Representational/Pixabay