Australia to Set Local Content Quotas on International Streamers – Deadline

Australian content quotas will be placed on Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and other international streamers.

Plans to impose quotas were unveiled this morning as part of the Australian government’s “Revive” national cultural policy. The five-year policy plan aims to disrupt the country’s broader cultural landscape.

The figures have not yet been released, but the plan is to introduce the legislation in the third quarter of this year. ABC News reported that details of the policy are being negotiated with the film and television industries and streamers.

Quotas will be in place by July 1, 2024. Local press suggests the level of investment required will be set at 20%, but this has not been confirmed.

Local broadcasters already have local content quotas, and News Corp’s pay-TV market leader Foxtel is required to spend 10% of its drama channel spend on local scripted production.

Streamers had several hits from Australian originals, with Netflix rebooting the high school drama Raised from heartache and Prime Video and Disney+ are investing heavily. Anticipation around Paramount + Australia’s upcoming drama series Last King of the Cross has also expanded internationally over the past year.

The Revive policy suggests that local audiences are predisposed to streamers rather than broadcasters and the subscription streaming market is worth nearly A$2.5 billion ($1.7 billion) in revenue.

He accepted that “[t]These new streaming platforms produce high-quality Australian content,” but added: “However, unlike free-to-air and subscription TV services, these services have no obligation to make Australian content available on their platforms. The ready availability of mass-produced content from other countries, particularly the United States, risks drowning out the voices of Australian storytellers.

The Revive policy has five key goals, including prioritizing First Nations citizens across the country and reflecting the full spectrum of its storytellers.