Free TV acknowledges Minister Michelle Rowland’s statement today on the need for socially and culturally significant sporting events to remain live and free on the televisions of all Australians.
Free TV Chairman, Greg Hywood said “Live and free sport on television is a fundamental part of the Australian way of life. It remains the great social connector of our times, allowing Australians from all walks of life to share in the same moments together.
“Being able to watch your favourite sporting team live and free on TV without having to pay subscription fees or worry about your data usage or your internet reliability is very important for most Australians,” Mr Hywood said.
Free TV CEO, Bridget Fair said “The Minister’s statement today clearly shows that the Government understands the connection between the standard of living enjoyed by Australians and their access to iconic sporting events, equally available to all of us, live and free.
“Research released by Free TV in February 2022 revealed strong support for commercial television services across the community:
- 78% of Australians agree that reliable free-to-air television services are crucial, especially for those without strong internet;
- 76% of Australians agree that free-to-air television ensures Australians have access to iconic sporting events; and
- 72% of Australians agree that free-to-air television allows access to television without straining budgets.
“What the Government highlighted in their statement today is that there is a real risk of iconic sports events being exclusively acquired by subscription platforms.
“We strongly agree with the Government’s commitment to updating the current anti-siphoning rules, which are 30 years old and only cover free-to-air and pay TV.
“These are analog rules in a digital world, and we look forward to working with the Government to renew the anti-siphoning list and expand it to cover all subscription platforms so that all Australians can continue to enjoy live sport on their TVs, free and for everyone,” Ms Fair said.
ENDS
Download a copy of PDF here.