Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix & Stan drop $153m on local programming in 2019-20
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has published new figures that show significant investment by the subscription video on demand (SVOD) sector into local screen content.
The data shows that global streaming platforms Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Netflix, as well as Nine-owned local platform Stan, spent over $153 million combined on Australian programming in 2019 and 2020.
The report found that over 80% of the expenditure from the four services was generated by commissioning new content across drama, children’s programs, documentaries, light entertainment, and other programming genres.
ACMA’s publication of newly aggregated Australian content results for the 2019-20 financial year mark the first time that such data has been made public.
For the purposes of the report, programs that quality need to meet minimum requirements for key creative roles, including producers, directors, writers and cast being Australian.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher, said: “I commissioned this report in December 2020 to give the government a strong evidence base to develop local growth through well-targeted policy and industry investment programmes.
“What we know from this initial report is that we have a sound starting point in terms of content, a good footprint overseas, and that more than 80% of the $153 million expenditure was on commissioning or co-commissioning new Australian programs.”
The report showed that as of 30 June, 2020, 618 Australian program titles were available to Australian audiences across these services, representing 3,080 hours of content.
The ACMA broke down Australian programs by genre across SVOD services, with 65% of all content being under the drama category.
Australian programs on SVOD services [click to enlarge]
The government is increasing the Producer Offset rate for television content from 20% to 30% with a goal of helping the sector to engage further with SVODs to make more Australian more content available.
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Zanda Wilson was a reporter and podcast producer at Mumbrella, specialising in radio reporting. He left Mumbrella in September 2021.
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