Australia will be the next country to impose local content quotas on platforms hoping to operate within the company, reportedly to prevent local content being ‘drowned out’ by Hollywood fare. Blake & Wang P.A entertainment lawyer, Brandon Blake, unpacks the details.
The Revive Policies
The new quota forms part of a wider national policy, nicknamed ‘Revive’, and is set to come into effect by no later than July 1st, 2024. For now the details are slim on the ground, and there’s little clarity about the expected percentage of local content that must be produced/distributed by streaming services operating in the country’s borders. We can assume there’s some room being left for further negotiations. Key genre’s being targeted include scripted drama, children’s programming, and documentaries.
Existing Content
Key players in the streaming industry- Netflix and Disney+ prominent among them- have already begun a swing into locally made and targeted content for their streaming platforms globally, Australia included, so the news of new quotas is unlikely to upset the boat too much. In fact, Netflix netted itself a global break-out with its Aussie-focused Heartbreak High revival last year.
Globally, more people are consuming streaming content than ever before, and mostly at the expense of traditional and local broadcasters that would have been more inclined to carry locally made content. The Australian subscription market currently lies in the area of $1.7B annual revenue. The Australian entertainment industry has been lobbying for a content quota for larger streamers for several years already, with most hoping to see 20% of revenue spent on local content. Easier said than done, however, given the many local and international partnerships in play in the area- it could be difficult to even pin down exactly what ‘Australian content’ is, honestly.
Until Q3 of this year, the consultation process will remain open, but the final product is expected to contain required revenue spend amounts, carriage quotas for Australian content on all platforms, and more stringent requirements for certain genres.
Film and Television 