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Producers criticise license fee cuts & multichannel rule.

Producers say new TV rules come without providing any 'meaningful commitment' to Australian content.

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The Screen Producer’s Association of Australia (SPAA) has criticised the Government’s decision to cut licence fees and says it comes without providing any ‘meaningful commitment’ to Australian content in return.

It claims there is little incentive to encourage new Australian content on the multi-channels under the new rules announced.

SPAA Executive Director Matthew Deaner said, “Australians should be very disappointed at this outcome which ignores the recommendations provided by the Convergence Review and fails to address the increasing amounts of foreign content on our screens.

“If the government is not currently prepared to regulate for more Australian content on the commercial television multi-­‐channels,” said Deaner, “then it must move immediately to provide alternative support measures including increasing the Producer Tax Offset to ensure that more quality Australian content is made.”

Networks yesterday welcomed the new changes, despite having previously been opposed to local content quotas on Multichannels.

6 Responses

  1. Is there a certain percentage of sport Free-to-air channels must broadcast?
    I don’t if it’s just me, but I don’t there is anywhere near as much sport on free-to-air as there used to be.

  2. Stephen Conroy has become an apologist for the networks. He slashes licence fees with no reciprocal obligation for more Australian content quota and handed out the digital licence to them for nothing. SPAA then asking for the Feds to increase the Producer Offset for television isn’t going to work as the networks have been the beneficiaries of the existing Offset and still not increase levels of production. The reality is that even with increased subsidy from government the networks will produce the minimum required under the Australian content rules. Legislating more Aussie content is the only solution and the facts speak for themselves. Labor has proved to be even weaker than the Coalition when it comes to these issues.

  3. In the end, the TV viewing public will show the value of good Aussie content when they watch it in large numbers.

    When Ten replaced The Circle with The Talk, people turned off in droves.

    I know I haven’t watched SBS’s Monday line-up in some time due to the lack of entertaining programs.

  4. Why would the three major networks want to show first run Australian content on there Multi-channels? I think the quota should be increased for there main channel and have it at at least 45% to 50%. This needs to include news, drama, lifestyle, reality, children’s, public affairs, sport, live content and game shows.

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