Commercial Free to Air Networks will be nervous today with the Government asking whether digital channels should be forced to include Australian and Children’s Content.
Senator Stephen Conroy is calling for public comment on program standards and captioning requirements for digital channels.
He has released a lengthy discussion paper on the issue.
“Digital television provides a great range of new content and channels and it is important that we consider how program standards and captioning requirements apply as we move towards digital-only broadcasting at the end of 2013,” Senator Conroy said.
“Currently, Australian and children’s content requirements applicable to analogue channels and their digital simulcasts do not apply to other commercial digital multi-channels.
“Today, I am calling for comment on a review of these arrangements and encourage all interested parties to take part in the discussion.”
“Digital television viewers are enjoying unprecedented choice of free-to-air TV content and we want to ensure that standards continue to reflect public expectations.”
The discussion paper will review:
* the operation of program standards and captioning rules applicable to standard definition and high definition multi-channel commercial television broadcasting services; and
* whether program standards and captioning rules should be amended in relation to standard definition and high definition multi-channel commercial television broadcasting services.
Commercial networks will be very protective of their new digital channels that have cost them significantly to set up and are only just starting to build advertising clients and emerging audiences.
ABC3, which launched yesterday, kicks off with 40% Australian content and aims for 50%. So far GO! has the slimmest of Australian content of the new digital channels, comprised of mostly US and some UK programming.
Submissions close 5.00 pm Thursday, 31 December 2009.
@Kirk – I don’t get why you seem to think it’s OK for Foxtel not to have AU content quotas yet the FTA multichannels should? Why the double standard? Let the existing arrangement stay on the main FTA channels and the digital multichannels have the same freedom as Foxtel.
Please no more Children’s content – on 72 and Go, there is way too much (and shows like the Jetsons shouldn’t be called ‘kids shows’). There is cartoons for most of the mornings and even afternoons on both channels. Add to that ABC3, that is plenty.
Absolutely they should have a prerequisite for Australian content.
We get enough of the US and UK programming on Foxtel, the Digital Channels should provide Australia with the opportunity to screen more local content. We don’t get much on the main channels because they are filled with a lot of UK and US programming anyway…
Everyone thinks all are capable of producing is reality TV and cop shows – which is a rubbish. Give us the chance to show some new and unique Australian content.
I reckon they should leave the channels as they are, but provide more captioning in the multichannels.
Kids shows on one. No thanks.
I think they should leave the digital channels alone. I enjoy them as they are. And was pleasantly surprised that the networks put some effort into them.
I don’t want GO have to cut programs out of their schedule to accommodate some token low quality australian show. Or face greater costs in running the channel.
Local content is expensive so is more likely to be produced for the main channel.
At all the people wanting local shows put into production on Go! I do believe that in the future we will see programs made for these channels take Skins for example in the UK that airs on a multichannel not the main channel! But I can’t see this happening until we’re 100% digitial in 2013 to get maximum exposure; I’m all for it; but enforcing quotas like the main channel is ridiculous.
FWIW Yes there should be some quota requirements on the digital channels – not too onerous – suggest same as Pay – 10% increasing over time? Allow first run drama to count for quota points on the digital channels – that way we might get some risk taking.
How would you be able to have childrens content on specialty channels like one? I agree, however that captions should be compulsary for all channels.
As for Australian content, there should be a quota put on, though less restrictive than what it is on analogue. How about 1 hr a day in primetime and 3 hrs of Aussie programmig over the entire day.
Conroy indicated no immediate quotas. But he also said, “That’s why I firmly believe that Australian audiences will demand Australian content on all the many, varied channels they will come to take for granted in a few short years.” The review is about asking what the community wants moving forward. Probably post 2013 but that remains to be seen.
GO has done an amazing job of launching itself this year but I agree with everyone that it desperately needs to commision some new Aussie shows.
The captioning should be required on the multichannels as on the main channels.
AU content quota? I don’t think is necessary. On the main channels it is so high that the quality suffers as a result. I’d prefer quality to quantity, so forcing the networks to stretch their budgets to accommodate additional quota requirements would be counter-productive.
I would love to see the multichannels pave the way for a new era of Australian television which isn’t aimed at bogans, and that is a possibility when you consider the less mainstream audiences they tend to attract. But if this is going to happen, then it will happen because market forces demand it, not because the government does. If the government introduces unrealistic mandates this will likely result in some of the worst television content this country has ever produced.
I also don’t understand why people are so self absorbed that they want to watch Australian content on TV just for the sake of it. Who cares what country it comes from? What matters is the quality, and with very few exceptions, Australian television is severely lacking in that department.
I think the change in landscpae equates to a less percentage of 1) quality journalistic content 2) childrens content 3) Australian content.
It thins out what little of substantual stuff there is. Net effect on viewers is an even more uninformed society.
Didn’t Mr Conroy say just a few weeks ago that there would be no forced quotas on the digital channels???
A 25% Australian and NZ content quota would seem reasonable for the new channels. Much of what is shown on 7Two and Go! now are just repeats of U.S. shows, some of these could just be replaced by repeats of local ones. Networks could also fill up some space with new local shows they may not be confident enough to show straight away on their main channels – a sort of testing ground. On top of this there are many decent NZ shows that have never been shown in Australia and could be bought for very little.
More Children’s Content? We’ve got a whole Channel for that now, not to mention half of ABC2′s schedule.
If the government forces more Aussie content son these channels we will definitely be seeing more Sons and Daughters in prime time…blech…
Guy, I agree with the watermark comment. And it is huge. Is it me or are the watermarks slowly moving more towards the centre of the screen? How about the government enforcing smaller watermarks on TV?? lol
GO needs to make some Aussie shows to be taken seriously by both audiences and advertisers.
There should be a minimum of local content, perhaps lower than the main channels,
But…
There should also be a new way measuring ratings, perhaps incorporating the coloured buttons or iQ/TiVo technologies.
Sorry but it’s hard to take anything Conroy says seriously
I think content restrictions should be dealt with over the whole network of channels, not forced onto individual channels. What that means is that until analogue goes off, only the main channel (which everyone gets) would have to have kids programming, content rules, etc while the digital channels can show what ever they like.
Then come 2014 when it is digital only, the networks would have the choice to apply the rules over their group of channels as there will no longer be the need for a “main” channel as such as all people have access to all channels (well, maybe a few less for HD). That way Australian content can be spread over the channels, while C & P children’s programming at certain times of the day can be put on any of the channels or spread over channels if they chose rather than forced onto the one channel.
Why should Australian content be required at all? when is the protectionism of the local industry going to stop?
The requires for Australian childrens series will only result in more poor quality series, and endless repeats. Recent Australian kids series are terrible, it has been years since we produced anything decent.
The lack of Australian content requirement for additional digital channels, are the main reason children have been finally able to enjoy the Cartoon Network / Warner Brothers cartoon series on Nine HD/Go! and Jetix cartoon series on Seven HD / Two.
Why?
Leave the how they are.
Please no more children’s content. There is so much already.
BTW – why is the ABC3 watermark in a weird location???? Bizarre.
There should be minimum levels of Aussie content on secondary channels, but the limits should be far lower than those of the primary’s…
Captioning: a must.
Childrens content: relaxed (due to ABC3), no requirement for P programming (as part of greater P review, with potential for some O/S content to get the P stamp, lifting the 100% Oz made conditions set upon the P rating), flexible C period (which is half a hour every weekday, and can be placed between 3pm and 6pm or 6am to 10am)
Regional stations: If you stick to the bare minimum of local news on your main channel (crummy updates everyone), digital multichannel must carry minimum of a 1/2 hour of local news per night.
please no, most aust produced TV is absolute crap. Aimed squarely at the Bogan market.
The reason for US/UK content is because they spend alot more money, have alot better actors and vastly better scripts the crapola aust TV. Why do you think people are watching GO.
If you want ,have a dig TV channel “all aussie tv”, one i can assure you I will never watch.
I love GO! but if this is truly a youth channel for Australians in needs to have some original Australian shows. Right now it could just be a feed direct from the US.
It’s so important for our culture and our industry that the new digital channels are heavy with Aussie content!
I don’t think they should have more children’s content. ABC 1,2 and 3 already offer that. Channel GO has it on weekends, with shows like The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo and so on. It also offers a lot of comedy shows, Bewitched, Get Smart, I dream of Jeannie, Seinfield, The Nanny and so on. It looks like 7TWO has children’s shows/movies of a morning on weekdays, as well as on a Sunday. And I know other channels have childrens programming.
Other than that, I think asking them to put more Australian and Children’s content on isn’t a good idea. I personally like the overseas content and don’t have that much interest in Australian shows. And it looks like there’s a fair bit of children’s programming already.
these requirements could wreck the multichannels, GO! and 7TWO already have a little bit of kids programming, but forcing them to have australian content when they may not be generating enough money to cover that cost could end the channels entirely if it is more commercially viable to end the channel than to comply with such requirements. if ONE starts broadcasting kids shows it would destroy the very nature of the channel as it will no longer be able to be billed as 24/7 sport. can’t abc carry the burden, they have enough kids programming to make up for the lack of it on other channels, and they have a lot of australian content too. if some channels have an overabundance of a certain type of programming then the others shouldn’t have to supply so much of it. if the set percentages are being met by the FTA australian tv landscape as a whole then the individual channels should not each have to.
In my view all these new digital channels should have a certain level of Australian / NZ content – the same as ABC, SBS, 7, 9 & 10.
Just look at the most successful shows this year – all local – the public love to see local shows on tv.
At the moment Go! & 7Two seem to have either retro shows (like Home & Away, Sons & Daughers etc, which are great by the way) or American trash – a nice mix of new local shows would be really good.
I’m thinking no, if they are forced to have local and children content then where does that leave specialty channels like ONE? The point of the 2nd and 3rd channels are to provide an outlet for shows not working on the main channels and not have then sitting on the shelf as long or just going to PayTV.
How about a simple system for new digital only channels.
First 2 years on air: no Australian content required.
After 2 years – digital switch off in 2013: 20% Australian content 6am-Midnight(repeats can account for half of that, so in effect 10% new Australian content)
2013 onwards: 30% Australian content (20% has to be new, 10% can be repeats)
I say leave them alone! It’s nice to have some channels that don’t bore us to tears with Infomercials and local reality/police drama rubbish!
They should impose more rules on Foxtel to produce Australian content, and then let the commercial stations purchase some of their content rather than it being the other way around!
I thought i read only recently that then new digital channels would be exempt from having content on local drama until they got established