Free TV Australia today welcomed the landmark ACCC Preliminary Report into Digital Platforms and their impact on consumers and Australia’s media sector.
Free TV CEO, Bridget Fair said: “This Preliminary Report could be a game changer for Australian media businesses as well as Australian consumers. It is the first time an Australian regulator has called out the substantial market power held by Google and Facebook in the areas of online search, digital advertising and access to news content.
The ACCC’s Preliminary Recommendations are a welcome first step in addressing the complex ramifications arising from the market dominance of Google and Facebook.
We are particularly pleased to see that the ACCC has recognised that traditional media companies operate under heavy regulatory frameworks compared with almost none on Facebook and Google. The need for better takedown procedures for copyright infringement, lack of transparency around algorithms and the potential for Google and Facebook to favour related businesses in advertising markets have also rightly been called out as priority areas for regulatory intervention.
Clearly this is a lengthy report and we will take our time to work through it constructively.
Commercial broadcasters invest significantly in trusted news and local journalism as well as Australian entertainment, drama and sport content. The ACCC needs to ensure that the regulatory framework does not inhibit competition so that all Australians can continue to enjoy the local news and entertainment content they depend on.”
We look forward to continuing to engage with this critical Inquiry as the ACCC finalises its report.