Australian Free-TV Networks Make Record Investment in Oz Content

October 27, 2014 World Screen Top Stories

SYDNEY: According to Free TV Australia, the country's commercial free-to-air broadcasters invested a record A$1.54 billion ($1.36 billion) in Australian content in 2013-14, up 11.6 percent from the previous year.

Driving the overall increase was investment in high-quality Australian drama, news and current affairs, live sport and light entertainment. Australian content accounts for the lion's share of commercial free-TV networks' total programming spend, representing 79 percent of the pie. Total programming expenditure reached a new high, with free-TV broadcasters investing a record A$1.95 billion ($1.7 billion) in the 12 months ended June 2014.

Australian broadcasters continue to over-deliver on their 55 percent Australian content quotas. The latest figures show that each network averaged 64.3 percent of Australian content on their main channels and delivered twice the required amount on their multichannels.

Free TV Chairman Harold Mitchell said: “Commercial free-to-air broadcasters are proud of the role they play in producing high quality Australian programming that resonates with millions of Australians every day.

“But we are operating in a challenging environment where broadcasters are competing against new services that are unregulated, pay little or no Australian taxes, and invest virtually nothing in local content production.”

Mitchell added, “No other platform delivers these valuable services to the Australian public for free, and on this scale. Maintaining this level of investment is vital to our national and cultural identity.”