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2010 Documentary Report

Documentaries being produced for Australian television are on the decline, with fewer Factual shows being produced.

The number of Documentaries being produced for Australian television is on the decline, according to the latest data released by Screen Australia.

A total of 390 hours of first-release documentaries were broadcast on Australian free-to-air television in 2010, compared to 428 hours in 2009 and 445 hours in 2008.

In the last three years the average cost has increased from $307,000 per hour to $326,000. $90m was spent in doco production in 2009/10. Commercial free-to-air broadcasters spent $26m on Australian documentaries in 2008/09, almost double the previous year.

Docos were at a peak in 2007/08 when interest in factual and observational series was at a premium. But in recent years these have seen a drop-off.

Screen Australia’s definition of documentary follows that used by ACMA: “a program that is a creative treatment of actuality other than a news, current affairs, sports coverage, magazine, infotainment, or light entertainment program, and corporate and/or training programs.”

In 2010 the ABC screened more docos than any other FTA broadcaster, at just over 120 hours. SBS followed with around 90 hours, Seven with around 80 hours, and Nine and TEN at around 40 hours each.

In terms of Production, NSW remains the centre for documentary filmmaking at around 150 hours produced (63%). Victoria produced about 50 hours, then at around 20 hours or less were Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia. Victoria is the only state to have shown a steady increase in recent years.

The top-rating documentary last year was Such is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins.

The no. 1 documentary on Pay TV was Aussie Christmas Lights.

2 Responses

  1. Interesting note there that ACMA and the equally incompetent Screen Australia ‘define’ what a doco is. This helps them keep their public sector jobs without actually having to touch a foot of film. This is why the networks will ‘produce’ a doco with work experience kids the b grade camera crews. 1- it saves them money, 2- it provides subsidised ‘training’ and 3- it meets the AU content quota rules. The Cousins piece is hardly a broad reaching subject but rather a long form news segment. same crew, no writing attachement, edited in the news room edit suites. No way did it cost within cooee of the quoted 307K. My producing skills would price that TV hour at about 25 k.

    I have been trying to sell docos for 10 years. But because I can write, shoot, edit and finance the whole shebang myself, I dont get a look in. I can turn out product at about 60K per TV hour in just about any genre or subject. But because I dont play bureaucratic games with these ‘agencies’, Im not on the radar.
    I self finance my attendance to the conferences and talk fests and all I see year after year is ABC and SBS freeloaders by the busload. Not once have I seen a rep from a commercial network. There is your answer as to why its a dying market.

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