Ipsos Australia today released new research exploring how and why Australians watch local screen stories. The study reveals that local audiences' strongest desire is for quality Australian content that offers up stories they can recognise and relate to.
Screen Australia's Chief Executive Ruth Harley said, Ipsos's research clearly tells us that local audiences truly value watching their own stories. Australians have a keen sense of themselves - they're down to earth, honest, grounded in reality and have a distinct sense of humour - and they enjoy seeing themselves reflected on screen.
The report, Hearts & Minds, commissioned by Screen Australia, reveals that Australians firmly believe that a strong local film and television industry producing high-quality content is essential to their sense of culture and identity. This backs up recent Auspoll research that shows 91 per cent of Australians believe it's important that the country has a local film and television industry that creates Australian stories.
We're experiencing a golden age of Australian drama. Australian audiences are responding to local stories, using them to better understand themselves and each other, said Dr Harley. Our stories are staying with us long after we've turned off the television or left the cinema.
The research also reveals that audiences enjoy seeing familiar places, enabling them to forge a more intimate connection to content and relate strongly to local screen stories based on real events.
Next to the Hollywood blockbusters and ubiquitous television crime scene shows, Australians want to see themselves on screen, said Dr Harley. Australian stories are a valued part of our media diet. Local audiences appreciate the nuanced and unpretentious style of storytelling they get from an Australian production that would never be made anywhere else.
Ipsos's research demonstrates that as Australia has become more diverse and sophisticated, our cultural confidence has grown, and this is reflected through contemporary local film and television stories. The research shows, however, that there is still a long way to go in reflecting the full diversity of the population.
One of the strongest insights to emerge in the research was the role local screen stories played in changing and broadening perspectives, particularly stories about Indigenous Australia.
Dr Harley said, Australians highly value the Indigenous perspective told through our screen stories. Television programs such as the documentary series First Australians and feature films like Rabbit-Proof Fence were highlighted in the research as enabling people to have greater awareness and empathy for the challenges faced by Indigenous communities. The perspective-changing, impactful and highly successful series Redfern Now has also proved there is a real hunger from mainstream audiences to gain new insights into Indigenous life.
Television emerged as the dominant platform for being able to find and consume local screen stories, either via free-to-air or DVD. Large, highly promoted Hollywood films had a strong advantage in attracting viewers to invest time and money in going out for a cinema experience; however, Australians will go to see a local film if it has buzz and strong word of mouth.
The research is being released today ahead of Jobs, Dollars, Hearts & Minds, a one-day policy conference being held in Canberra tomorrow on the key issues and opportunities facing screen businesses and Australian content. Ipsos Director, Dr Rebecca Huntley, will be presenting the key findings at the conference. More information.
The Hearts & Minds report can be downloaded from www.screenaustralia.gov.au/research/hearts_and_minds.aspx
Media Enquiries
Teri Calder T: 02 8113 5833; M: 0408 440 995
teri.calder@screenaustralia.gov.au
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Ipsos Australia today released new research exploring how and why Australians watch local screen stories. The study reveals that local audiences' strongest desire is for quality Australian content that offers up stories they can recognise and relate to. 
