Report: 170+ stalled commissions, 15,000 jobs impacted by lack of streaming quotas
Industry survey finds a huge a slowdown in project greenlighting caused by delays to local quotas on streaming platforms.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
A survey of Screen Producers Australia membership has highlighted the tough commissioning environment and pessimism resulting from the delay in implementing local content rules on streaming platforms.
It found a legion of projects and jobs impacted.
Key findings from the survey include:
Reduced production – an estimated 170+ stalled, missed or collapsed commissions.
Screen job losses – 15,000+ screen jobs lost across 61 screen businesses.
Cultural and economic opportunities missed – an estimated $1 billion+ in lost budgets.
“A high proportion of SPA’s screen-producing members surveyed are telling us that their businesses have been significantly and badly impacted by the delayed local content rules,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner.
“The survey also points to a major loss of optimism about the screen industry compared to a year ago. Given these calculated estimates of the lost work, this is hardly surprising.
“The impasse over this regulation is given as the reason for a slowdown in project greenlighting, with each stalled, missed or collapsed commission leading to millions in lost investments, job losses, business uncertainty and less local content production that will continue to affect audiences for years.
“Without immediate regulatory action, we risk losing the diverse storytelling that defines our culture, as well as the economic benefits that come with a thriving local industry,” said Deaner.
The Albanese government had pledged to introduce local quotas on Streaming by July 1st last year but the date came and went without action. Now those plans appear to be further impacted by pressures in the US Free Trade agreement and delayed by the federal election.
“While audiences are quickly moving to streaming, our local content rules have not moved with them and are stuck in limbo. The sooner this policy impasse is resolved, the better for Australian audiences, our members and the whole local screen industry,” said Deaner.
“Thousands of small businesses and creative workers in our industry depend on the Australian Government achieving some sort of outcome.”
