In Britain, Netflix, Disney+ and ITVX will be regulated by media watchdog the same as TV broadcasters. Will Australia follow suit?
Britain’s media regulator Ofcom is set to put streaming giants under the same regulation as television broadcasters, as well as network catch-up services.
Members of the public will be able to lodge complaints and expect the same standards of streamers as linear broadcasters.
The UK government said the new regulations, being implemented as part of the Media Act 2024, will apply to video-on-demand services that have more than 500,000 UK viewers.
This will include platforms such as Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney+ and video-on-demand services such as ITVX and Channel 4.
Ofcom will have the power to accept and investigate complaints from viewers about content on streaming platforms, and to impose fines of up to £250,000 (A$478) or 5% of revenue generated in the UK, for each breach.
Until now, streaming services have not been subject to the same level of regulation under the UK broadcasting code as traditional, licensed TV channels.
“By bringing the most popular video-on-demand services under enhanced regulation by Ofcom, we are strengthening protections for audiences, creating a level playing field for industry and supporting our vibrant media sector,” said Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary.
In Australia streaming platforms and network catch-up services such as 9Now, 7Plus and iview, also do not fall under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice.
A recent report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority found that while 72% were aware of the Code, around 2 in 3 (65%) Australian adults incorrectly think the code covers content made available on Free-to-Air apps.
But there appears to now be a groundswell of the community which wants change.
ACMA found a large majority of Australian adults (84%) want rules to ensure TV content meets community expectations, whether it be free-to-air broadcast TV, streaming or on-demand content.
Over half (58%) think rules about TV content should be consistent and should not depend on the format or service the content is watched on.
One quarter (25%) think rules should be different based on whether viewers are watching content on free-to-air broadcast TV or accessing it via streaming or on-demand services.
Only 8% believe there should not be any rules for TV content at all.
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Source: The Guardian