Oz Spending on TV Dramas ‘Scaled Back’

SYDNEY: After four years of increased investment, expenditure on TV drama in Australia was down in 2014-15, with total spend at A$299 million ($213 million).

The adult TV drama slate comprised 34 titles (401 hours), with budgets totaling A$238 million ($169 million) and expenditure in Australia of A$235 million ($167 million). All measures were down on last year and the five-year averages. The segment has seen a gradual decline in total hours, as production trends have moved away from longer-running series and serials toward shorter-form series and miniseries.

There were 116 hours of Australian children's drama programs in 2014-15, with total budgets of A$95 million ($68 million) and Australian expenditure of A$64 million ($46 million).

With the introduction of VOD services, there is a growing volume of professionally produced drama content being made for release online as well, the report notes.

Overall expenditure on drama was A$837 million ($596 million), down just 1 percent on last year’s record high. The commercial free-to-air broadcasters remain the largest financiers of TV drama, even though their contribution reduced this year. Direct government investment continued to underpin a large proportion of the slate, with Screen Australia alone contributing A$21 million ($15 million) to support 47 percent of all TV drama titles.

“Australian TV drama is hugely popular and we’re seeing fantastic audiences for programs like Catching Milat, Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door and House of Hancock,” said Screen Australia's CEO, Graeme Mason. “It is, however, very expensive to produce, especially when weighed up against the cost of cheap American imports. With much more competition in the SVOD environment further fragmenting audiences, government incentives to produce local content will be more important than ever. Support for Australian stories is crucial to maintaining the great cultural dividends we’re seeing for audiences across all platforms.”