AUSTRALIAN CONTENT
ASTRA and its members are committed to providing and producing new high quality and innovative Australian content that subscribers seek out on a variety of channels.
Tangle, Showtime
Subscription television broadcasts over 1500 hours of Australian programming a week on News, Sport, Kids, Drama and long- form programming.
The subscription television industry continues to produce original and award winning Australian programming because our customers expect and enjoy it. Annual production expenditure exceeds regulatory requirements.
The Australian content requirement that applies to the industry means that subscription television licensees and drama channel providers, who provide a service predominantly devoted to drama programs (50%+), must invest at least ten percent of their total program expenditure on new Australian drama.
ASTRA is currently compiling data on Australian content across the industry which will be posted on the website in February 2010.
Q&A
What do ASTRA members think about Australian content?
ASTRA members recognise that Australian content has an important role to play in promoting and developing a sense of Australian identity, character and cultural diversity. In 2007-2008 the industry spent over $20 million on Australian drama.
What contribution does subscription television make to the Australian content sector?
Australian consumers want Australian programming. As the success of subscription television is determined by consumers (as subscribers) as opposed to advertisers – it is this content that drives subscriptions.
The hours of local content broadcast on subscription television platforms far surpasses that broadcast on terrestrial networks across all genres including sport, music, children’s television, documentary, drama and news.
In what other ways does subscription television support the Australian content sector?
In addition to on-air activities, the subscription television industry supports the creative evolution of digital broadcasting through sponsorships and scholarships for emerging and accomplished Australian creative talent.
