The Australian Government has provided $386,000 from the Community Broadcasting Program to fund a smart-TV app rollout of CTV+.
This will make live and on-demand community television available on all major Smart TVs and extend the reach of C31 Melbourne & Geelong and C44 Adelaide to a national audience.
Here are the details of the CTV+ App investment and what it means for you as a viewer.
Details of the investment
The Australian government will deliver $386,000 through the federal Community Broadcasting Program (CBP). Officials say the funding will modernise delivery (HD streaming on TVs), improve discoverability for local programs, and support CTV’s digital transition.
The $386k sits alongside a larger package of support the government has offered to community TV.
For example, a reported $3 million funding boost for community TV across multiple years was announced in late 2024. That suggests the app funding is part of a multi-strand policy to sustain grassroots media and to shore up media diversity.
Anika Wells, Minister for Communications, said:
“Community television plays a vital role in our media landscape, providing a platform for diverse voices while supporting local content and creators. That’s why the government is backing this app with $386,000 in funding, which means this community content is now available to all Australians. CTV+ will bring community television into the modern streaming era – and literally bring it into high definition – expanding its reach to new audiences right around Australia.”
Why Australia is investing now in the CTV+ App
Community TV in Australia used to broadcast on terrestrial licences, like C31. Licensing changes and the switch to digital have pushed the company to online models since the mid-2010s.
Hence, the sector’s long migration to online distribution makes a dedicated app the logical next step.
Joseph Matina, Chair of Channel 31 Melbourne & Geelong, says:
“CTV+ marks the next chapter for community television, extending the reach of Channel 31 Melbourne & Geelong and Channel 44 Adelaide well beyond the aerial and into homes across Australia through Smart TVs… We’re deeply grateful to the Australian Government for its ongoing support of community television and for recognising the value of platforms like CTV+ in promoting inclusive, grassroots media.”
Also, CBP already funds community broadcasters with more than $24 million annually; the $386k is a targeted capital grant from that program for a specific infrastructure project (the Smart TV app).
That’s why the government frames this as an investment rather than ongoing operational support.
What exactly the CTV+ app will deliver
Here’s what the platform will offer:
- Live channels and VOD catalogue: CTV+ will host live streams of Melbourne and Adelaide at launch. It will also have an on-demand library of locally produced series, short form, and documentary content.
- Smart TV native apps: The funding explicitly targets Smart TV availability. These native apps reduce friction and generally deliver better playback and UX. There is no browser needed, which means fewer clicks for you.
- HD output and accessibility features: The ministerial release states the app will bring community TV into “high definition.” CTV+ also advertises closed captions and category metadata on its site, which helps accessibility and discoverability.
- Curated categories & editorial curation: CTV+ organises shows by genre, awards, region, and curated themes. That editorial layer is important as raw uploads don’t attract audiences; discoverable and curated catalogs do.
Why this matters for various groups of CTV+ app users
Here’s what changes for each category of users:
If you’re a viewer
Community-produced documentaries, local sport, specialty arts shows, and niche programming will now appear on your smart TV alongside global streaming services.
You don’t have to find a web browser or mobile phone to watch your local shows; you can queue them on the sofa. That convenience raises the chances local stories actually reach people beyond their immediate locality.
If you’re a creator or volunteer producer
The distribution friction drops. Rather than laboriously uploading episodes to different platforms or relying on limited over-the-air reach, producers will get a national storefront and a centralized streaming platform.
That helps with discoverability, and it strengthens the case when you seek sponsors or grants for production because you can show a measurable audience route.
Dr Tom Young, Chair, Channel 44 Adelaide, says:
“This expansion helps us re-engage communities, cultural organisations, tertiary institutions and creators in regions that have lost their local community TV service… CTV+ is a vital innovation that connects past, present, and future generations of community television audiences and creators.”
The launch timeline and what to expect next for the app
The government statement and the CTV+ site indicate the app is live on smart TVs now and that the project stems from a series of policy moves made since 2024.
Moving forward, expect UX refinements and updates. There will be app updates to improve playback, search, and accessibility in the coming months. The Play Store shows recent updates.