More Drama as industry groups challenge networks

Industry groups representing actors, writers, directors and producers have again called on networks to spend more on drama and documentary production.

The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, Australian Writers’ Guild, Australian Directors Guild and The Screen Producer’s Association of Australia have responded to Free TV Australia’s statement that commercial TV networks have invested a record $1.35B in local content.

The four groups claim less than $65 million was spent by each network on meeting their Australian content program obligations. They are urging the government to accept the findings of the Convergence Review, which recommends 50% sub-quotas for multichannels.

“Free TV’s figures are misleading,” said SPAA CEO Geoff Brown, “They include significant expenditure on news, current affairs and in particular, sport. When it comes to telling Australian stories in adult drama, kids drama, and documentaries, the commercial channels’ commitment is relatively small. The average expenditure of $64.5 million per year by Seven, Nine, and Ten is cheap by comparison with the $465 million Channel Nine just paid for the NRL rights.”

“Only 5% of all content across the six (multi)channels was Australian drama,” said Actors Equity Director Sue McCreadie, “and that was mostly Neighbours which had been moved over from Ten’s primary channel.”

“Australians have consistently and repeatedly shown how much they love Australian stories, just look at the huge ratings Underbelly and Howzat! have recently achieved,” said Australian Writers’ Guild Executive Director Jacqueline Elaine. “It’s just that the cost for an Australian network to buy from Hollywood the rights to show an hour of one of the highest rating programs in the world can be one twentieth of the cost to produce that show and one tenth of the cost to produce Australian content. Given the choice, broadcasters will always choose the cheaper option, which is why we need, and have always needed, regulation.”

“I watched Bewitched as a kid,” said Australian Directors Guild CEO Kingston Anderson, “and now my kids are watching re-runs of the same shows. As we go into a multi-channel world on digital TV, it’s more important than ever that Australian content is highly visible on free to air television. This can be achieved by a modest commitment from the networks which will give audiences what they clearly prefer – Australian stories for Australian audiences.”

Free TV CEO Julie Flynn recently touted commercial networks’ performance and investment.

“We are the leading investors in this industry, employing 15,000 people directly or indirectly while providing training and developing expertise,” she said.

“We also remain the major underwriters of the independent production sector, contracting with more than 70 independent producers.”