Abstract: Free-to-air TV has had a tough FY24, and FY25 will also be difficult. This has not earned them much consideration from the Federal Government. It has disregarded industry pleas on the anti-siphoning regulation, and now proposes a crackdown on gambling advertising which may disproportionately target broadcasters. 

There is significant public support for a crackdown on gambling advertising, but the gap between policy aspiration and industry reality is stark. Closing that gap will require consideration of the sustainability of the industry as a whole. A more coherent approach to protecting the objectives of broadcasting policy is needed.