Streaming Giants to Be Required to Make Australian Content [Poll]

Streaming giants — such as Netflix, Disney and Amazon Prime — will be required to invest in making local Australian content under new rules set to be imposed on the industry.

From mid-2024, the federal government will require the major streaming platforms to put some of their revenue back into Australian content.

Details of the new policy are still to be negotiated with both the platforms and the Australian film and television sector, but the sector has previously argued for 20 per cent of revenue.

These rules would also bring the streaming sector into line with free-to-air networks, which are already subject to local content quotas.

The streaming sector is already a significant producer of Australian screen content, spending more than $330 million on the local industry in 2021-22.

Arts Minister Tony Burke said while he appreciates the platforms are already voluntarily producing content, it should be a requirement.

"There is no requirement that [Australian content] be there at all, and the percentages of what we're seeing with Australian content are way down on what traditionally was expected on free to air," he said.

"The days of there being no guarantee of Australian content on streaming services have to come to an end."

The government wants to have the policy details ironed out by the middle of this year, before introducing legislation later in the year, and the policy in place by July 2024.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-29/streaming-giants-to-b…

Do you support the government forcing streaming services to make more local content if so what content would you like to see

Poll Options

  • 30
    I support it, its good for the industry
  • 62
    I don't support it will make the services more expensive

Related Stores

Netflix
Netflix
Disney+
Disney+
Prime Video
Prime Video

Comments

  • +3

    Prefer the american stuff to be honest..

    • +1

      honestly speaking i agree - im not saying All Australian content is 'bad' but majority of it is crap, even the stuff we rip off from O/s like survivor etc are all like a crapper version of the American versions

      i cant remember the last Australian original tv show i watched and thought this was 'good'

      the last movie i liked was tomorrow when the war began which came out in 2010….

      • i cant remember the last Australian original tv show i watched and thought this was 'good'

        Mr Inbetween. Can’t think of anything else.

        • +1

          Rake and Utopia are both great.

      • +5

        This move isn't necessarily for Aussie audiences, it's about job creation. Whether you think that's worth it, is another discussion. You may not be the target audience, but there's a lot of local content that I've also never watched like Neighbours, H2O, or MacCleod's daughters that are strangely popular overseas. Ditto with ABC Kids stuff like Round the Twist for you 90s kids, or Bluey which I'm too old for, but is a bona fide hit.

      • The Mole!
        Ironically, the Americans just re did it and it was utter trash

    • +2

      We all do, but this is about creating jobs here, and some people will prefer any Australian content as well. If all Disney is doing is giving us the same content they already have, then we are giving them $140 a year for nothing, for just a few cents of server capacity per month.

      • +1

        Sounds like my taxes.

      • I was watching McLeod's daughters in Italy where it was called Sorelle McLeod.
        It was much awarded to even influence new birth rates….

    • While I agree mostly, if you go back to before 2005 when FTA really started losing eyeballs to online content there was actually a lot of good stuff coming out of Australia.

    • Same. I'm also a fan of British TV. I don't think I watch any Australian content? Only US and UK.

  • +11

    I would like to humbly request a season 4 of Russell Coight's All Aussie Adventures

  • +3

    forced to produce content , sounds like a great way to have bad content produced

    • +3

      You nothing to worry about, Netflix already does.

    • I believe it's rules like this that made so many trash reality TV shows get produced.
      They were required to meet a quota about regional developments and it was the cheapest and easiest way to do it.

  • Have you even watched the latest iteration of Australian Survivor, it is produced with a much higher quality and much better episode value then the US version.
    The US version is very cut down to cookie cutter format
    US survivor -
    0 - 5 minutes, intro video and start of show and reactions from the tribal
    5 - 13 minutes, then reward challenge
    12 - 23 minutes, then watching & discussion of the reward, search for idols, discussion of immunity challenge
    23 - 35 minutes, Reward Challenge and discussion of who to vote out
    35 - 42 minutes, Tribal Council

    Aus is up to 90 minutes an ep, discusses strategy, reason, relationships, idea, deeper into the tribes mechanics and politics

  • +2

    They'll just make reality crap for "Australian content" like the free to air channels do.

    • +2

      Or do what they do now and just make tonnes of “reality tv” of very low and almost questionable quality. Just enough to get over the required threshold.

  • +1
  • Disney should really be making some kids animation in Australia, paying Australian animators.

  • +3

    Fat Pizza 2.0.

  • -1

    Australian content has been utter trash since Chances.

  • +2

    It'll make it more expensive but also crapier. Also why should government get to dictate the type of content that a private enterprise chooses to create and showcase. Anyway they want Australian content,the gov should go the F make it themselves.

    • The exact same content would exist with or without Australia. Australia is free money to all the streaming services. When the Australian government tries to make our own stuff through the ABC News Corp rips the a new (profanity). Forcing the streamers to pay for Australian content, which the streamers get to own forever at the end of the day, is not a better solution but it's better than letting them take our money for nothing.

      • If i pay for their service and I continue because I get something from it, how is that nothing? I'm getting content that I want.
        If anything if the content changes and I no longer see as much value, I may decide not to purchase it anymore.
        Every business takes our money, we decide what has value and what doesn't.
        If we decide to spend our money on the subscription then how are they "taking our money for nothing'?

    • They already do. Government funding of local content is nothing new. The ABC does it, so does the BBC, CBC, etc. The government's just acknowledging that peoples' eyeballs have migrated over to streaming, which is increasingly consolidating. Basically if you aren't on Netflix, Disney Plus, or HBO Plus/WB/Binge, you may as well not exist to large segments of the population. Ironically, Dr Who, which for decades was produced by the BBC and aired locally on ABC, has now migrated to Disney Plus. If you think this trend is a good thing, you shouldn't

      • I already knew re ABC but that's gov funded (and again I don't agree). Content should be for its merit, not because gov want to push their personal agenda.

  • +1

    Early 2000s was peak Australian TV. Nearly 19 years later I'm still mad Silversun ended with a cliffhanger.

  • +2

    And watch them just switch off their services to Australia… You’ll need a VPN or a pirate eye patch to watch your favourite shows again.

  • -1

    Original Australian TV content, for the most part, is like buying something on Wish

  • Australia used to make a lot of good movies, especially comedies. Examples: Death in Brunswick, Malcolm, Cosi, Bad Boy Bubby, The Castle. Not sure about nowadays, haven’t seen many recent ones. Australian TV shows have never been as good as Australian movies in my opinion.

    Australia churns out a lot of incredible actors though.

  • Disney have announced the next series in the Star Wars franchise will be StarWars Downunder. (you can thank me later)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhTn8cjm9ZM

  • If it happens I wouldn’t expect drama series or movies as they are expensive.

    I would expect reality shows, cooking shows, news shows, game shows, women’s sports.

    And if, no new content required… then endless supply of old aus shows.

  • Practically, aussie tv production is dead.

    Anyone with talent gets the hell out, so what's left aren't capable of making content that's up with the world market. So the best outcome will be international production flying in talent and only using Australia as a backdrop - which isn't what the politicians are thinking of.

    Netflix et al HAVE to have content that will work on an international market - so what they will make is US pap most likely, or UK TV if you are lucky.

  • Aus content blows. Even NZ has better original shows.

    The last Aus show I really enjoyed was Danger 5.

  • +1

    I buy my streaming based on the quality of what's on there, not it's country of origin.

  • +2

    Thanks Albo!
    I grew up on Skippy.
    Now you have screwed the net you might as well do it properly!

    • What did they do to screw the net? I only remember being against Stephen Conroy’s internet filter which never got up and last heard he’s now a commentator for SkyNews.

      • They have paid for a filter, they have fooled the voters justifying the expense, it is now used against people like Julian Assange to keep the US buddy's happy.
        Still better than Libya, poor buggers have their country codes hijacked by idiots in the US.

  • +1

    Forcing something that companies are already doing is simply politically opportunistic with no real outcome.

    A bit like photobombing to be honest.

    • +1

      Hasn't this been a thing for Australian networks forever? Just seems they're extending it to overseas players operating in the Australian market.

  • Some Australian programming is really good. Recently watched The Stranger on Netflix. Australian stuff also seems less woke without the forced diversity and political agendas.

Login or Join to leave a comment