Thanks to the sheer amount of content being added every month and Australia’s lengthy classification process for content streaming services, we might soon be missing out on getting the latest episodes of our favourite shows on time. Netflix is responding to the looming crisis, appealing to the Federal Government to allow a self-classification system that would bring streaming services on par with broadcasters and the digital games industry.
Global public policy manager Josh Korn wants all streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) providers to be able to use a similar process to the games industry and other broadcasters, IT News reports.
Broadcasters have their own “content assessors” to check programs against the classification standards, and the games industry uses a classification tool developed in collaboration with the International Age Rating Coalition.
There is currently nothing like either of these options in place for SVOD providers.
Korn told IT News that many of the titles Netflix dds each month, including original content, have never been shown in Australia. This means they need to be given an Australian classification and labelled with appropriate consumer advisories — a process that takes time, costs money and according to Korn could stifle the growth of streaming services in Australia.
There is a draft proposal by the government to have all classification fall under the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), but the current classification board says it should be expanded instead, saying ACMA assessors don’t have the skills needed to take classification responsibilities on board.