Tuesday, 22nd June 2021
The Federal government has proposed a surprisingly early, ‘second digital dividend’ from the re-farming of TV spectrum, which would see the 600 MHz band auctioned for wireless broadband in 2025. Meanwhile, the extra efficiency of better video compression would supposedly allow the five free-to-air TV networks to squeeze into only three, shared TV channels in each area. I will discuss the proposal in light of the ‘hybrid’ view of TV’s future proposed in our recent paper, ‘Should TV move?’ co-authored with Jock Given. Consideration of the various directions TV transmission might evolve highlights some potential challenges for the TV industry, for the government, and for the ‘long tail’ of Australians who still depend on free-to-air TV. While the Green Paper marks a welcome start to an important microeconomic reform process, I conclude that the public interest issues at stake may go wider than those government has articulated to date.
The event will be presented via Zoom. The Zoom link will be provided to registered attendees via email on the evening prior to the presentation.
TelSoc warmly invites non-members to consider joining -- a modest annual fee helps ensure TelSoc can continue to foster growth in Telecommunications and the Digital Economy in the region. The rapidly approaching end of the financial year also means that it is time for members to renew: https://telsoc.org/membership
Date and Time
Tue, 22 Jun 2021
12:00 - 13:30 AEST
Location
Presenter(s)
Giles Tanner is an Australian media and communications consultant with a particular interest in broadcasting and radio frequency spectrum management. Until 2018 he headed the division responsible for radio frequency spectrum management at the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and, from 2009-12, led the ACMA's work in realising the 'digital dividend' from analogue to digital TV conversion and the clearance and sale of the 700 MHz band. From 1997-2005, he was the General Manager and, in 2004, an Acting Member, of the Australian Broadcasting Authority. Since the early 1990s he has given conference speeches and published articles dealing primarily with current broadcasting and spectrum policy and management issues. ‘Should TV Move?’ by Jock Given and Giles Tanner appeared in the Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, Vol 8, No. 4, December 2020.