The Government is consulting on three options for the future of free-to-air TV, ranging from a minimal change to a marked shift in the current broadcast delivery model
The rise of online streaming may challenge the sustainability of terrestrial broadcasting over the long term
On 15 September 2026, the Australian Government launched a discussion paper on the future of free-to-air TV. It acknowledged that broadcasting is no longer the dominant medium for TV distribution, and that, in the past decade, there has been significant growth in online streaming services. In particular, subscription video on demand (SVOD) services (e.g. Netflix) have become the most popular way to view screen content, with 68% of Australian adults using such services in the past seven days in 2025, compared with 29% in 2017. However, the costs of operating and renewing broadcasting transmission networks are significant and generally fixed, meaning that costs do not decline if there is a reduction in audiences and/or a fall in advertising revenue. While free-to-air TV remains a key part of Australia’s media landscape, the Government is seeking views on how it can continue to be delivered in a “sensible and sustainable way”.
The Government’s proposed scenarios range from transitioning to a mainly online delivery service to upgrading broadcast networks
Specifically, the Government has proposed three potential technology combinations that could be used to provide free-to-air TV over the long term:
Partial online: This would involve minimal change to the technologies currently used, with the online medium augmenting, rather than replacing, traditional broadcasting. There would be modest consolidation in the infrastructure used to provide commercial TV broadcasting services;
Online-dominant: This scenario would see the online medium being the main provider of free-to-air TV services, involving a significant reduction in the infrastructure used to provide them. Terrestrial broadcasting would operate as a ‘nightlight’ service for viewers unable or unwilling to adopt online-delivered TV services; and
Broadcast enhancement: This would entail upgrades to broadcasting networks to DVB-T2, which is a more efficient standard, but would require all households to have “DVB-T2-capable reception equipment” (i.e. a compatible TV).
Some European countries, such as Italy and Spain, are currently planning transitions to DVB-T2, reflecting the third scenario proposed in the Australian Government’s consultation. However, none of the three models would go as far as the UK’s proposed DTT switch-off, which would see TV delivered exclusively via the internet by either 2034 or 2044.
Changes to the free-to-air TV delivery model could free up spectrum for 6G networks
The discussion paper also recognises that any consideration of the optimal technologies for future free-to-air TV will need to consider spectrum issues, with the Government seeking to explore the potential for a “spectrum dividend” as part of the process. Separately, the commercial television industry has committed to working with the Government towards a clearance of Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) spectrum in the first half of the 2030s if the Commercial Broadcast Tax (CBT), which is levied on their use of spectrum, is permanently abolished (having been suspended for three years from June 2025). Mobile operators have also expressed interest in this spectrum for future 6G services, requesting progress in the transition and reallocation of the band. The Government expects that the partial online scenario could enable the most efficient use of spectrum to a degree, but would be unlikely to provide a meaningful amount for operators to use for 6G. The online-dominant model would result in a substantial reduction in spectrum being used for TV broadcasting, which could allow for some to be reallocated to other users. Under the broadcast enhancement scenario, the Government noted that this model would likely be complex from a spectrum planning perspective, and that determining the precise amount that could be released would be complex and require detailed technical planning work.
