ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie wants its online streaming service, ABC iView to become a global product similar to Netflix with reports it will happen sometime this year.
During a press conference, Gutherie explained, “The intention is not to have a separate international product, the intention is the internationalise all the products that we have.
“In the same way Netflix is global, why aren’t we global? That doesn’t mean it will be 100 per cent of the same content. We actually have a lot more rights than we currently exploit.”
The Australian points out the BBC closed its global iPlayer back in 2015 as it was worried it would threaten content deals with local TV channels in Australia like BBC First.
According to Guthrie 93 per cent of its traffic to the ABC science site is international.
Netflix became available in Australia in April 2015 with local service Stan launching on Australia Day that year.
