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A Network Ten executive has admitted her struggle finding her own channel's app on a smart TV, as free-to-air broadcasters and pay TV groups scrap for screen real estate.
A Senate committee is hearing from TV networks and streaming companies on whether platforms should be forced to give priority to Australian channels, and their content on home screens and in search results.
The broadcast networks argue their content is showing up below subscription services in searches, that Australian broadcast apps are often not included as a default on new TVs, and that downloading their apps can be very tricky, making free content harder to watch.
Beverley McGarvey, who is chief content officer and vice-president at Ten's parent company Paramount, said she needed 45 minutes and the help of an engineer to be able to download 10Play onto her new television.
Ms McGarvey said despite being "pretty tech savvy" she had trouble downloading the app.
"The last time I got a TV in my office, which was an LG TV, it took me 45 minutes to find the 10Play app, so our entire point to the prominence conversation is to remove the friction, so that's what we're trying to do," she said.
"I had to get an engineer."
When questioned about the claim, the executive said she was talking about the "out of box" experience when Australians purchased a new television.
"If you get us, and we're there and you don't want us – fine – flick us to the back," she said.
"What we're saying is the consumers should know we're available and it's free."
The federal government's proposed prominence framework would require television manufacturers to make Australian services available, and have "minimum prominence requirements" including default installation of apps — but would leave companies able to pay for preferencing in search results.
ABC managing director David Anderson supported the bill but wanted the changes to take effect sooner than the suggested 2026 timeline.
He also called for the prominence proposal to include search and recommendation functions to promote Australian broadcasters on search results.
Mr Anderson said ABC programs were easy to find using the search function on some TVs, but "nowhere" to be found on others.
As an example, he said when searching for the children's TV show Bluey on some televisions the option to watch it for free on ABC iview came up first, but on other televisions, it took viewers to a paid service.
"If we want Australians to be able to find Australian content, including local news and children's programs, ensuring search and recommendations as part of the prominence framework is vital," he said.
But some of the Pay TV companies and streaming platforms argue Australian channels shouldn't get special treatment with their apps and search results when their digital offerings are not bound by the same rules as their broadcast channels.
Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delaney told the Senate committee the difference between free and paid TV was becoming more "murky", with some free-to-air networks now offering paid digital services or owning stakes in streaming companies.
He said Foxtel's platforms would always display both the paid and free search results of any content.
But Mr Delaney said manipulating search results to artificially promote free content was counter to what people want.
"That's making a big assumption about what people are looking for," Mr Delaney said.
"People search for shows and events, they don't care necessarily when they search if it's free or paid, or streamed or non-live, they just want to get to the show ... if you own the device you would expect to see all options."
Mr Delaney said if free-to-air networks were given the privilege of easy access for their Broadcast Video On-Demand (BVOD) services, then their on-demand platforms should be regulated like their broadcast channels.
"In my view, if they're going to get the privilege of easy access, or as some call it, prominence, then they should be regulated," Mr Delaney said.
"If the theory is viewership is moving between linear channels over to BVODs, then money must be moving to BVODs, so at least there should be Australianness requirements, there should be drama creation requirements.
"At the moment the way it is, one of these BVODs may have nothing Australian on it ... but somehow they get prominence.
"It's not a level playing field if you're preferring one over the other."
Representatives for Netflix agreed that ranking free-to-air content first had the potential to disrupt viewing habits.
Netflix's policy advisor Carolyn Hough said viewers should remain in control rather than have the order of content regulated.
"We really need to make sure that we're preserving that flexibility and the capacity for devices to dynamically adapt," she said.
"We really struggle with the proposition that if someone searches 'Australian movie' only Australian movies that are on free-to-air are surfaced in those search results.
"Our concern with free-first is that it has the potential to get in the way of that consumer experience."
Ms Hough argued if someone had started watching a program that was available on both free and paid services on the paid platform, the requirements may make it more complicated to continue to do so.
"We want to defend the rights of Australians to be in charge of their viewing choices," she said.
The committee will also examine proposed anti-siphoning laws that seek to ensure iconic sporting moments don't slip behind a paywall.