Industry Committee Smart TV Prominence Framework

                                                   Home Screen Prominence                                             

The Australian Government has committed to legislating a prominence framework which will determine how TV applications and/or content will appear on Australian TVs and what content appears first in search. 

Since our submission to the federal government, Foxtel commissioned research by YouGov to examine what Australians thought about this issue. The overwhelming view of Australian consumers is they want to be in control of the TVs they own and spend thousands of dollars on annually. 

 

The research showed: When given the choice, 94% of Australians said they don’t want the government controlling the order and layout of the apps on their TV. 73% of Australians want the ability to customise the order and layout of the apps on their CTV themselves, followed by (21%) Australians who want manufacturers and service providers to do that for them. 

• 80% of Australians believe the choice on what they watch should be their own. 1 in 2 Australians (50%) with a smart TV don’t know how to change the layout and order of their apps. Australians on average spend up to $2000 on their Smart TVs every year in addition to the multiple streaming apps they subscribe to. 

• Australians who pay to watch content want to decide where they watch it. 87% of those who pay for a streaming service agree if a sporting event is shown on both free and paid TV, they should have the right to choose which one they watch.

• Free TV services should be given presence via their primary FTA broadcast linear channels not their apps. Services should not be hidden from consumers or altered both in terms of app accessibility and in search. That control should sit with the Australian public who are paying for their devices and the services available on them. Overwhelmingly they have said they want this control.

We believe the ASTRA policy objective is best met through a requirement to provide access to the primary FTA linear broadcast channels on connected TVs only. There is no need for double regulation or a must-carry mandate of plug-in devices.

The Australian government must recognise the way people watch sport on their smart TVs has forever changed and amend the anti-siphoning regime to include free streaming without prejudice of prominence retrospectively.

Furthermore, we are advocating with the Minister that consumer privacy protection of smart TV home screen apps are a personal choice of streaming TV households and should therefore be protected under a streaming code of practice.

For more information visit www.astra.org.au