The ACMA has published aggregated Australian content results for the 2019–2020 financial year for subscription video on demand services (SVODs). This is the first time that such data has been collected and published in Australia.
The results show that Amazon Prime, Disney, Netflix and Stan collectively spent $153 million on Australian programs in 2019–20. These are programs that meet minimum requirements for key creative roles, including producers, directors, writers and cast being Australian.
At 30 June 2020, 618 Australian program titles were available to Australian audiences across these services, representing 3,080 hours of content. SVODs also made similar amounts of Australian programs available to audiences in the US and UK as well as distributing Australian programs to many other countries.
This information was voluntarily reported by the SVODs following a request from the then Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts in December 2020. Throughout early 2021, the ACMA worked with SVODs to finalise the data points and reporting arrangements. Where possible, definitions are consistent with the Broadcasting Services (Australian Content and Children’s Television) Standards 2020 so as to facilitate comparisons across the SVOD and commercial television sectors.
Expenditure and program information has been aggregated across the sector. This reflects existing arrangements for publishing annual compliance results for commercial and subscription television broadcasting licensees.
The ACMA thanks Amazon Prime, Disney, Netflix and Stan for their cooperation in this first reporting exercise and looks forward to working with them on future reporting requirements.
The information will inform the government’s consideration of proposals outlined in its Media Reform Green Paper.
Reporting for the 2020–21 financial year is due to the ACMA by the end of August 2021 and it is anticipated that these results will be published later this year.