If you were one of many Aussie football fans left grinding your teeth by the lack of free TV broadcasts during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, you might like to know that legislation put forward by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland aims to prevent that from happening again. The laws would make it compulsory for smart TVs to show local free-to-air apps – like ABC iView, 7Plus, 10Play, SBS OnDemand and 9Now – before paid streaming services like Netflix, Binge and Disney+. And free-to-air services would also get preferential treatment during bidding wars for major events/broadcasts – such as the Olympics or AFL/NRL games – by giving them first dibs on acquiring broadcast rights. But not everyone’s happy… Critics say the laws would be unfair to subscription services like Stan and Kayo – the biggest investors in Aussie TV production and sport. Settle into your sofa as this plays out…