ABA - NR40/2004

4 May 2004

Broadcasting financial results for 2002-03

The Australian Broadcasting Authority has released the 2002-03 Broadcasting Financial Results for commercial radio and television broadcasters.

The $774.2 million in revenue generated by the 251 reporting commercial radio licensees represents a 6 per cent increase compared to 2001-02. The 48 reporting television licensees achieved revenue of $3,451.1 million, a 6.7 per cent increase over the previous year.

‘These results show a steady improvement in the financial performance of the radio and television broadcasting industries,’ said Professor David Flint, ABA Chairman.

Of the $3,381.7 million in revenue generated by the three major television networks, the Nine Network and its affiliate licensees accounted for $1,478.6 million (43.7 per cent of the networks’ total), the Seven Network and its affiliate licensees $1,018.4 million (30.1 per cent) and the Ten Network and its affiliate licensees $884.7 million (26.2 per cent).

Radio licensees achieved a collective broadcasting profit of $106.2 million in the 2002-03 financial year (down by 2.1 per cent compared to 2001-02), while the 48 reporting television licensees achieved aggregate profits of $506.4 million, 23.3 per cent above 2001-02.

As a result of the increases in sector revenue, the commercial broadcasting licence fees collected by the ABA rose to $216.1 million, up by 5.7 per cent compared to last year's figure of $204.4 million. The fees are based on annual gross earnings declared by the commercial television and radio sectors.

The ABA collected $199.8 million in licence fees from commercial television services in 2002-03 (compared to $188.9 million in the previous year) and $16.3 million from commercial radio services ($0.8 million more than in 2001-02). Under the Regional Equalisation Plan, which subsidises television licensees for the cost of introducing digital services in regional areas, rebates totalling $22.5 million were claimed in December 2003, and offset against television licence fees owing for 2002-03.

Further details on the financial performance of commercial radio and television licensees in metropolitan and regional Australia are available in the 2002-03 Broadcasting Financial Results. The BFR is available on CD or via email by calling the ABA on (02) 9334 7700. The price is $550 (including GST).

Media contact Donald Robertson, ABA Manager Media and PR on (02) 9334 7980. 

Backgrounder

The 2002-03 Broadcasting Financial Results contains information provided to the ABA by commercial radio and television licensees. The figures appear as reported, however licence fees are subject to audit by the ABA.

For commercial radio services in metropolitan areas, information is provided on the financial performance of AM and FM services in national, State, capital city and regional markets. For the regional areas, the information is available for larger, medium-sized and smaller markets.

The financial performance of commercial television licensees is broken down by State, mainland capital city, multi-station and solus regional markets and networks.

To maintain the confidentiality of individual licensees, broadcasting financial results are aggregated, meaning that some information, for example a breakdown between AM and FM licensees, is not available for some areas.