We’re still some years away from the National Broadband Network becoming a reality, but the ABC is already arguing that its programming should be made freely available across the network.
Andrew Colley at the Australian reports that a submission by the ABC argues that the NBN should carry ABC online services — like the popular iView catchup option — free of charge. Currently, iView is offered unmetered by a handful of ISPs (iiNet, Internode, Adam, Primus and Westnet), but for other users, it can quickly chew through bandwidth allocations.
While the ABC is seeking to expand the range of cap-free ISPs, making iView available for free on any ISP using the NBN would clearly be an improvement. However, despite the obvious benefits it would offer and the seeming logic of offering government-funded programming on a government-funded network, the move is already seeing opposition from large ISPs like Telstra which want to promote their own media content. With luck, the government will ignore those pleas.
ABC seeks law ensuring free content on broadband [The Australian]
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