The Albanese Government has tabled a reform to deliver better access for Australians to local TV and radio content to ensure the sustainability of the broadcasting sector.
The proposed reforms include a prominence framework to ensure Australian radio services remain easy to find on smart speakers and will reduce the regulatory burden for regional and remote commercial broadcasters to drive investment into the sector.
Commercial Radio and Audio CEO Lizzie Young welcomes the proposed reforms, highlighting it’s importance for the “sustainability” of the audio sector.
“Commercial radio is free to access, local and trusted by 15 million Australians every week,” she said.
“For decades we have been operating in a heavily regulated environment and in a market increasingly dominated by the global tech platforms.
“Today’s announcement is a significant step towards the sustainability of our sector.
“These reforms will enable us to continue to deliver the local content and connection to community that our audience relies on. We thank Minister Wells for her engagement with our industry and we look forward to the passage of these important reforms.”
The reforms include: the introduction of a radio prominence framework that will make it easier for listeners to access online simulcasts of Australian radio services on smart speakers. This follows prominence reforms the Government introduced for TV; measures to reduce the regulatory burden on regional and remote commercial broadcasters, support ongoing investment in these markets and allow greater flexibility and efficiency in the sector; mandating audio description and increasing captioning on free-to-air TV, subscription TV and broadcasting video-on-demand services to ensure Australians who are blind or have low vision can better access content across different platforms; action on the Community Broadcasting Sector Sustainability review to deliver regulatory confidence, streamline administrative tasks and provide local stations with a greater ability to self-generate revenue; and supporting the establishment of a First Nations radio broadcaster in cities that currently do not have one, such as Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart.
The package of measures will ensure laws maintain pace with changing technologies and better reflect the way Australians now consume content – particularly with the increasing use of streaming services and internet-connected devices.
“The Albanese Government values a vibrant and diverse media landscape, and we want to ensure our commercial, community and national broadcasters remain sustainable into the future,” cmmented Minister for Communications Anika Wells.
“These reforms respond to changes in the way Australians consume and engage with broadcast media and make our laws more appropriate for the 21st century media environment.
“We will continue to work with broadcasters on reforms that enable them to deliver quality content to Australian audiences right around the country efficiently and sustainably.”
The proposed reforms are similar to those that were introduced for TV in 2024.
The reform, which requires smart TVs to prominently display local free-to-air services first, was introduced to curb the unchecked dominance of global streaming platforms.
