Freeview
Freeview is Australia's free-to-air television platform delivering an enhanced TV experience via HbbTV. It provides seamless access to live broadcast, programme guides, and catch-up content from Australia's major free-to-air broadcasters — ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine, and Ten — directly through a connected television. The new integrated application was launched in April 2021.. This new app was a ground up rebuild of the previous Freeview Plus platform, bypassing the previous 'green button press' entry to an always on approach. The platform combines linear broadcast with links to on demand content through an on-screen mini guide overlay and a comprehensive TV Guide. For content discovery, Freeview also offers a universal search feature, with access to an aggregated catalogue of 55,000 pieces of on demand content. The application was built to be compatible with all Freeview certified TVs dating back to 2014 across varying HbbTV standards.
Description
The Freeview HbbTV application is embedded on millions of connected televisions across Australia, providing viewers with a unified, broadcaster-agnostic interface for free-to-air TV. The application integrates an electronic programme guide (EPG), catch-up TV access, and an enhanced viewing experience that bridges linear broadcast with on-demand content. Delivered via broadcast signalling and enhanced by internet connectivity, Freeview enables broadcasters to reach audiences with richer, more interactive content without requiring a separate app ecosystem. The platform supports all major Australian free-to-air broadcasters and continues to evolve to meet audience expectations for connected TV. Using the same approach of Freeview New Zealand (in conjunction with Switch Media), Freeview utilises an 'always on' approach to the application. A non-intrusive Mini Guide is automatically launched in the lower third of the screen. With this, Freeview is able to provide a compelling alternative to traditional manufacturer built-in EPG guides, offering an enhanced experience rich in metadata and interactive content. The Mini Guide not only allows users to easily navigate the broadcast schedule, but also provides quick links to on demand 'red button' apps. Users can also search from thousands of VOD titles made available by Freeview's broadcasters. The product was launched in phases to predetermined groups of televisions based on the requirements of different specifications used manufacturers as well as HbbTV versions. Freeview, along with Switch Media, ensured the broadest device compatibility. The application is available on all Freeview certified HbbTV devices dating back to 2014 (to provide coverage back to the beginning of Freeview's certification process). Freeview Australia's HbbTV service is supported by Switch Media's MediaHQ online video platform. Two versions of the app were released: a high-powered (utilising 2.0+ spec) and a low-powered build (for versions 1.5 and older backward compatibility). MediaHQ's application engine manages app features and displays across different modes so all TVs get the best possible experience that their hardware supports.
Impact
Since its launch on April 14, 2021 Freeview has delivered exponential increases in performance metrics YoY. The Freeview platform has now reached 7.3 million unique devices. By removing the barrier for entry (green button press) to launch the Freeview platform‚ the application will now launch on all connected Freeview certified HbbTV devices in the Australian market. In July 2020 (previous build), the app was launched on 500k unique devices. Comparatively in July 2021 following the release of the rebuild, Freeview recorded 3.77m unique devices. While there was an impressive scale up in usage, an increase in app engagement was critical. Prior to the rebuild, Freeview saw an average of 10% of the total addressable HbbTV market engaging with the application in 2020. In July 2021, Freeview recorded a 21% engagement rate (defined by those unique devices that interacted with the application beyond the Mini Guide)‚ doubled in under 12 months. At the base of the acquisition funnel, Freeview's key performance indicator to its Shareholders is the generation of industry referrals, or the volume of direct links to broadcaster content through Freeview. In July 2020, Freeview generated a total of 877k referrals to broadcaster video content through its application. In July 2021, Freeview exceeded all forecasts reaching a total of 2.35m referrals, a near 170% increase YoY. In order to translate sheer volume to measurable success while scaling a product it is important to maintain simplicity, functionality and accessibility. HbbTV has offered Australian broadcasters the opportunity to rapidly scale-up the Freeview offering to an existing base offering an add on service benefitting both the industry and the end user.
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