Media Release

New ACMA data shows declining investment across key Australian genres as the screen sector faces increasing pressure.

Screen Producers Australia (SPA) has warned that new commercial television expenditure figures highlight growing pressure on Australia’s screen production sector, with declining investment across key genres and an increasingly concentrated approach to Australian content.

New data released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) shows overall commercial television expenditure on Australian content remained broadly stable at $1.625 billion in 2024–25. However, the headline figure masks significant changes in where that investment is being directed.

Expenditure on Australian adult drama fell a further 9 per cent to $44.3 million, documentary fell 16 per cent to $17.6 million and light entertainment fell 12 per cent to $501.2 million. By contrast, expenditure on Australian sport increased 20 per cent to $682.2 million.

The longer-term trend is particularly significant for Australian drama. Since 2019–20, expenditure on Australian adult drama has fallen 44 per cent, from $79.1 million to $44.3 million, despite overall expenditure on Australian content increasing by approximately 10 per cent over the same period.

Investment in children’s content also remains at extremely low levels, with just $1.8 million spent on children’s drama and $674,000 on other children’s programming in 2024–25.

SPA CEO Matthew Deaner said the figures reflect broader challenges facing Australian screen production.

“These figures provide another indication of the pressure being felt across Australia’s screen production sector.

“The most significant decline is in Australian drama, where commercial television investment has fallen by almost half since 2019–20, despite overall spending on Australian content increasing over the same period. But the concern is broader than any single genre.

“We are seeing investment become increasingly concentrated rather than supporting the breadth of Australian production that sustains our businesses, develops our creative workforce and gives Australian audiences a diversity of Australian stories.”

The figures also highlight how commercial broadcasters are meeting their Australian content obligations under the Australian Content and Children’s Television Standards introduced in 2021.

The points-based framework allows broadcasters to meet their first-release Australian content obligations through a combination of commissioned drama, documentary and children’s programs and acquired first-release Australian feature films. Different types of content contribute to the points requirement in different ways, including acquired Australian feature films, which can earn a higher number of points depending on the licence fee paid. 

In 2025, Nine drew on a broad range of Australian feature films as part of its first-release Australian content slate. While commercial television provides an important secondary market for Australian films, the results also demonstrate how acquired feature films can contribute towards broadcasters’ content obligations without generating the same ongoing production activity as newly commissioned Australian programs.  

Seven continued to rely heavily on Home and Away to meet its first-release content requirement, while for many years Neighbours played an important role in Ten’s Australian content slate. Long-running productions such as Neighbours provide more than hours of Australian content, supporting sustained employment, skills development and training opportunities across the screen sector. Its conclusion presents an opportunity for Ten to invest in the next generation of returning Australian production.

“When the current framework was introduced, SPA warned that removing dedicated safeguards for particular genres risked reducing the breadth of Australian commissioning.

“The data now shows Australian adult drama expenditure 44 per cent below 2019–20 levels, while investment in children’s content has fallen to a fraction of its former level.

“It is encouraging to see Australian feature films finding audiences on commercial television, and that secondary market is important for Australian producers. But acquired films cannot substitute for sustained commissioning and investment across the Australian production ecosystem.”

The changing commercial television market also increases the importance of investment from Australia’s streaming services and public broadcasters.

With streaming services playing an increasingly important role in the Australian screen ecosystem, it will only be possible to get a complete picture of investment in Australian content once the ACMA also publishes data under the SVOD content scheme.

Deaner said continued investment in Australia’s public broadcasters was equally critical to maintaining a strong and diverse production ecosystem.

“As commercial television commissioning changes and streaming investment becomes increasingly important, the role of our public broadcasters in commissioning distinctive Australian content is as critical as ever.

“We need sustained investment across the entire screen ecosystem if we are going to maintain healthy production pipelines, support Australian screen businesses and ensure Australian audiences continue to see Australian stories on screen.”

Deaner said strengthening Australia’s production pipeline was also critical to Australia’s ability to take Australian stories to international audiences.

“There is a significant economic opportunity for Australia in creating stories and intellectual property that can travel around the world.

“Productions such as Bluey demonstrate what can happen when Australian creativity and Australian-owned intellectual property connect with global audiences. But to realise those export opportunities, we first need to create and invest in Australian content.

“A strong domestic production sector is the foundation for Australian stories to travel, for Australian businesses to retain value from their intellectual property, and for our screen industry to compete globally.”