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Aus content dominates online TV catch-up services

Australian content dominates television broadcasters' online catch-up services, according to new research released by Screen Australia.

The national screen agency found that 58 per cent of all hours surveyed (approximately 1308 hours in total) during a four-week period across February-March were comprised of local content. Of the 407 titles available during that period, 38 per cent (or 157 programs) were Australian.

Seven's Plus7 had the lowest levels of local content (8 per cent of total hours and 21 per cent of titles) while Nine's NineMSN Video had the highest by hours (89 per cent) and Ten's Watch TV service the highest by titles (57 per cent).

“With 94 per cent of Australians consuming on average three hours of television a day, networks’ on-demand services will play a key role in driving online viewing as the market matures," Screen Australia’s strategy and research manager Matthew Deaner said in a statement. “The moves taken by the biggest media companies into emerging markets online are what potentially set the trends for audiences. It’s important for the industry to understand the broadcasters programming strategies and what’s on offer in the online space."

In total, recently broadcast episodes or standalone programs made up 81 per cent of available titles and 49 per cent of the total hours.

Of the 407 titles available on catch-up services, feature films and television drama accounted for 27 per cent, other program types (news/current affairs, infotainment, reality, sport etc) for 27 per cent, children’s programs for 25 per cent, and documentaries for 21 per cent.

Read the full Spotlight on Catch-up TV report.