SPA Responds to ACMA Release

Screen Producers Australia has described as both disappointing and alarming the annual compliance results for metropolitan commercial free-to-air television licensees released today by the Australian Media and Communications Authority.

For the first time since the Gillard Governments media reforms in March 2013, the industry is able to benchmark the compounding impact of increased quota flexibility, under which licensees can acquit drama, documentary and childrens programming requirements across their multi-channels, and the existing practice of claiming New Zealand programming as Australian under the Closer Economic Relations Agreement.

Screen Producers Australia Executive Director, Matthew Deaner, said that the ACMA results reveal that Australia's primary free to air channels are screening significantly less first run Australian drama, documentaries and children's program.

ACMA's results reveal that the Seven Network provided the vast majority of its childrens programming on 7Two and 7Mate, along with some documentaries and a miniseries. The Nine Network provided two thirds of its Australian drama on multi-channels, as well as all childrens programs on Go!. And, Network Ten claimed the Australian drama Neighbours for the first time since 2010, making up one third of its drama score and, by the completion of 2013, transitioned its childrens programming to Eleven.

ACMA further revealed that the most concerning aspect of these results was the use of New Zealand programming by the Nine Network. In relation to its first release Australian drama, the Nine Network met an astounding 51 per cent of its obligation with the use of New Zealand programming, compared to just 7 per cent for Seven Network and 4 per cent for Network Ten.

This is clearly a disturbing trend, Mr Deaner said.

Mr Deaner said that Screen Producers Australia had raised this as a likely outcome during the media reform debate.

Our fears have been realised. The industry was reassured by the Gillard Government that the licence fee reductions to the commercial free-to-air television licensees would better protect Australia content and we can now see that this isnt true. This is particularly so for our most vulnerable content protected by the drama, documentary and childrens sub-quotas. The effect of the reforms is to shift first release Australian content away from the high visibility primary channel to channels with much lower audiences. With cheap imported New Zealand drama shelved on multi-channels accounting for 51 per cent of the Nine Networks drama points and 60 per cent of their drama broadcast hours, it is clear that the increased flexibility has become a cynical exercise that is shortchanging Australian viewers.

This is not in the spirit of the Australian Content Standard and, when considered alongside more attractive production incentives that were recently introduced in New Zealand, there needs government review and reform.

Mr Deaner said that Screen Producers Australia will continue to debate deregulation in the communications sector, and will be seeking further discussion with the Abbott Government: We want the Government to work with the industry to explore safeguards under which the viewing public do not continue to see more screen stories about their cousins from the land of the long white cloud than their own stories from our great southern land.

Half of Nine's local drama content' is from New Zealand

Nic Christensen, mUmBRELLA, 25 July 2014

LINK:	http://screenproducersaustralia.org.au/news/spa-responds-to-acma-relea...
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