$250m TV gift needs to be rechannelled

You'll also recall that the free-to-air broadcasters received the additional spectrum to screen these multi-channels at no additional cost, yet another gift to the free-to-airs that the subscription TV industry can add to its growing list of grievances (anti-siphoning, ABC3, ABC4).

If the Communications Minister's credibility is to stand up at all out of this mess, he must make moves to ensure that the $250 million gift to the networks will actually, verifiably, mean something.

In his now notorious press release, Conroy stated that the "government will protect Australian content on commercial television".

This will continue to ring hollow unless he can back his statement up by applying the Australian content standard to the multi-channels to the maximum extent allowed under the US free trade agreement.

If not, then not only will the Australian Taxation Office forever be poorer for it, Australian viewers will be, too.