Representatives of Australia’s screen industry today welcomed the release of Australia’s new National Cultural Policy in Melbourne and a concrete timeline to deliver an investment obligation for more Australian stories on streaming platforms.
Under the banner of “Make it Australian”, the screen industry has been united in a five-year-long campaign for regulation to ensure that global streaming platforms play their part in ensuring Australian audiences have access to Australian stories on these digital platforms.
“This is an important moment that acknowledges the importance of the government delivering on this commitment to the screen industry. The release of the National Cultural Policy brings this long-awaited regulation one step closer. The hard part now will be in negotiating the detail of this policy to get that right,” said Screen Producers Australia CEO Matthew Deaner.
“We know there is a hunger for Australian stories here and abroad, and the creative talent to tell them is ready and willing. We need investment in the creators who generate enduring stories and ongoing intellectual property,” said Australian Writers’ Guild Executive Director Claire Pullen.
“Directors and writers are the authors of Australian screen stories, but as creative workers, we often struggle to survive without fair rates of pay and continuity of employment. The ADG welcomes steps to regulate the streamers: for them to partner with screen directors and writers; to invest in our artistry; and to invest in the Australian culture from which they profit,” said Australian Directors’ Guild President Rowan Woods.
“There is clearly audience demand for fresh Australian storytelling that reflects the diversity of our nation that our world-class performers and crew are helping to deliver time and time again, and we need genuine investment by the streamers to keep that content flowing through,” said Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance Chief Executive Erin Madeley.
Streaming platforms are successful global businesses that enjoy access to generous tax rebates, incentives and other support, including a publicly funded broadband network and a wealth of talented and highly skilled Australian creatives and crew.
Australian audiences clearly want more Australian stories on their screens, and regulation to ensure that these global businesses play their part in delivering this is long overdue.
Make it Australian is focused on ensuring that global streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have some minimum investment levels of Australian content and that all platforms that supply content to Australians improve their support for Australian children’s, drama, and documentary content.
The industry is proposing that the major streaming platforms should be required to spend 20% of their local revenue on new Australian drama, documentary and children’s content and that fair ‘terms of trade’ be instituted to enable the development of local IP.
Background
- Streaming platforms like Netflix, Stan, Prime Video, and Disney+ currently have no obligation to invest any of their revenue in Australian stories, unlike commercial free-to-air and Foxtel subscription tv.
- The most recent ACMA figures show that in 2021-22, the five major streaming platforms spent $253.7 million on 55 commissioned or co-commissioned Australian programs. These are the programs that meet the objectives of the Australian screen industry for both cultural value, job creation and growing the Australian screen industry.
- In the same year, a further $81.4 million was spent on “acquired” Australian sport, Australian adult drama or documentary genres – chiefly existing titles changing ownership.
- In addition, that year, SVOD providers spent $333.4 million on acquiring, producing or investing in 16 “Australian-related programs” – stories that do not meet the broad ACMA criteria of Australia but include a lower level of local cast, crew and creative input.
- The annual revenue figures of streaming platforms are unknown but estimated to be in the range of $2.5 – $3 billion.
The industry’s proposal for streaming regulation includes:
- SVOD services will be required to invest 20% of their Australian-sourced revenue into commissioning new Australian content.
- New Australian content obligations to include genres of drama, documentary, children’s by both SVODs and stronger investment obligations for commercial free-to-air tv.
- Fair terms of trade between SME producers and streamer commissioners.
- Obligations to make Australian content discoverable to Australian audiences.
- Robust and comprehensive reporting to the ACMA.
Media Release – Screen Producers Australia
