Satellite TV

Many of you will be as frustrated as I am by the bureaucratic process required to access free-to-air satellite TV. The need for authorisation, and re-authorisation at regular intervals, often leaves you wondering whether it is really worth all the effort.

It seems to me that we Aussies ought to be able to access Australian satellite channels wherever we live, or wherever we travel. Without the nonsense.

I was spurned into action by Imparja's recent decision to no longer authorise access to travellers at all. They will only provide service to permanent residences within their broadcast zone. Their actions may well be reasonable in view of the cost of administering the authorisation process, so I am not going to cast stones at them.

But I have decided to try and do something about it and have launched a petition for "deregulation of free-to-air sateliite TV", and to tackle the legislative environment head on. I am aware of the arguments for restricted broadcast zones, but in an age when it is becoming increasingly common to view TV on the internet from overseas, it makes no sense to restrict Aussies free access to Australian TV.

I am planning to promote the petition to the CMCA, satellite equipment suppliers/installers, manufacturers of RV's and other leisure equipment, the Caravan and Motorhome Magazine, and other web sites to garner support. The aim is to present the petition to the Federal Minister for Communications during 2009.

For more details, and to sign, visit link text

Phil