Film industry fears trigger Coalition push for ABC, SBS to lift their game on local content
The federal government renews a push to impose local content requirements amid concerns over the two public broadcasters’ lack of commitment to homegrown production.
The federal government is renewing a push to impose local content requirements on the ABC and SBS, amid concerns the national broadcasters’ lack of commitment to homegrown show production is hurting the film and television industry.
In November, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher issued a green paper on media reform in which he proposed that the ABC and SBS should face formal local content requirements, similar to those that apply to commercial broadcasters.
Last week during a Senate estimates hearing, ABC managing director David Anderson said a local content obligation would be “in breach of our own independence” but writing in The Australian today, Mr Fletcher says that stance is “surprising and disappointing … Requiring the ABC to meet a local content quota, as is the case with the commercials, or to meet a specific level of investment in Australian programming, is a very different thing from telling the ABC what that content should be.
“Surely content obligations should apply fairly across all platforms? The current laws under which the ABC and SBS operate state an objective that they provide programming which depicts Australian voices and perspectives but it is stated only in very general terms.
“Formal rules would recognise the key role national broadcasters play in the commissioning and broadcast of Australian content, and codify the reasonable expectation of the community that they continue to fulfil this role.
“It would be consistent with arrangements in other countries, including the UK and Canada, which require their nationally funded broadcasters to meet specific obligations in relation to domestic programming.”
Mr Fletcher also says the ABC and SBS should be subject to the same regulations that govern Australian content on commercial TV broadcasters that 55 per cent of all content they broadcast must be Australian content.
“The Morrison government wants to see a strong, vibrant Australian production sector producing film and TV content, selling that content to Australian and global customers, and employing lots of Australians,” he says.
“As Australians, we should be able to see our own lives and experiences reflected when we turn on the TV. We do not want our children growing up speaking with American accents because they spend all their time watching American shows.” The Green Paper also proposes that the ABC and SBS provide information about their investment in new Australian programming annually – again, in line with the requirements that already apply to Australia’s commercial broadcasters.
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