The Government wants local New Zealand streaming apps to appear clearly on smart TVs and streaming devices sold in the country. Media Minister Paul Goldsmith announced the plan, which would affect manufacturers importing TVs into New Zealand. The change is meant to make services such as TVNZ+, ThreeNow and MĀORI+ easy to find when people turn on their TVs. It comes as more viewers are moving away from traditional broadcast television and watching programmes through the internet.
At the moment, global streaming services are often placed in the best spots on TV home screens. Some even have special buttons on TV remotes, such as Netflix. Goldsmith said local apps were not found preinstalled on the newest models of two major TV brands. He said this matters because being easy to find can affect how many people watch a service and how much advertising money it earns.
TVNZ and Sky welcomed the idea, saying local content should not be harder to find in New Zealand than overseas services. They said New Zealand media companies help create jobs, pay tax and support local stories. The Government still needs to decide which regulator would oversee the rules and what would happen if companies did not follow them. The plan would also need to pass through Parliament before becoming law.
Experts say traditional television is slowly becoming less popular, but it is not expected to disappear straight away. Associate professor Peter Thompson said New Zealanders enjoy local content, but they may not always search for it themselves. Freeview is also looking at new ways to keep free local channels available through the internet. Its new Freeview NextGen system lets viewers watch free-to-air channels over broadband or Wi-Fi without needing an aerial or satellite dish.
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