SPAA to lobby for content quotas on multi-channels
SPAA will host a Parliamentary Breakfast in Canberra tomorrow, to discuss measures to boost TV production, as well as the distributor Commercial Film Fund Initiative and an increase in funding for SBS.
Executive director Geoff Brown said that while commercial networks had already received a “massive boost” to their bottom line with the reduction of their licence fees, content creators should be acknowledged for the role they will play in the digital switchover – not with financial incentives, but with an immediate lift in drama (adult/children’s) and documentary sub-quotas for the multi-channels.
The organisation also wants Government to institute minimum licence fees for television sub-quotas in adult drama, children’s television and documentary.
Another point of discussion will be the three-year $30m film fund to stimulate distributor investment in mid-range features ($7-30m) that SPAA discussed in the April issue of Encore (10 Solutions to Heal the Industry) and as part of its submission for the Federal Government’s screen industry review.
“The rationale for the fund is to harness the market knowledge and power of feature film distributors in the cause of an outward-looking, ambitious Australian industry. A paper with detailed financial modelling showing higher than average investor return will be presented in Canberra on Wednesday,” said Brown.
SPAA will endorse SBS’s bid for increased funding of $30m, which Brown said would increase adult drama by 30 hours and documentary by 50.
Attendees will include Bob Campbell (Screentime), Brian Rosen, Daniel Scharf, Jenny Lalor and Michael Bourchier, and from SPAA president Antony I. Ginnane.
