Broadcasting Services Amendment (Digital Television and Datacasting) Bill 2000

8 June 2000

View the report as a single document - (PDF 368KB)

View the report as separate downloadable parts:


Membership of the Committee - 39th Parliament	(PDF 14KB)

List of Recommendations	(PDF 9KB)

Chapter 1 - Overview	(PDF 46KB)
Introduction The Bill The Committee’s Inquiry Overview of major issues Mandating HDTV Access to spectrum

Chapter 2 - Datacasting	(PDF 70KB)
Definition of datacasting Unfair competition from FTAs Electronic Program Guides (EPGs) Powers of the ABA as regulator Datacasting charges for national broadcasters Length of datacasting transmitter licences

Chapter 3 - Multichannelling and enhancements	(PDF 70KB)
Digital Program-enhancement content Underserved regional licence areas

Chapter 4 - Captioning and other important issues	(PDF 45KB)
Captioning standards Reviews required under the Bill Australian content Interoperability

Minority report by Labor Senators	(PDF 126KB)
Executive Summary Introduction Inquiry process Development of commercial free-to-air television broadcasting regulation 1998 legislative policy framework Criticisms of framework Datacasting Definition – criticisms Alternative definitions ABA regulatory power The national broadcasters and datacasting Datacasting transmission licences after the broadcasting moratorium Multi-channelling by the National Broadcasters Spectrum loan to commercial television stations and HDTV Enhanced programming Category A enhancements Category B enhancements Overlap multi-channelling Reviews ABA review – video/audio streaming HDTV review Simulcast review Review of datacasting arrangements Review of regulatory and revenue arrangements for datacasting licences Community broadcasting Captioning arrangement Conclusions and recommendations Datacasting Multi-channelling by the national broadcasters Spectrum loan to commercial television stations and HDTV Enhanced programming Reviews Community broadcasting Captioning arrangements

Australian Democrats' report	(PDF 33KB)

Appendix 1 - List of submissions	(PDF 10KB)

Appendix 2 - Individuals who appeared before the Committee at public hearings	(PDF 16KB)

Appendix 3 - Tabled documents	(PDF 9KB)

For further information, contact:

Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Environment, Communications and the Arts
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia

Phone: +61 2 6277 3526

Fax: +61 2 6277 5818

Email: ecita.sen@aph.gov.au

Phone:	+61 2 6277 3526
Fax:	+61 2 6277 5818
Email:	ecita.sen@aph.gov.au