With two parallel yet overlapping inquiries under way into the Australian screen sector, what can the industry realistically hope will be the outcome?
The ABC should be mandated to commission minimum levels of new Australian children’s content each year, according to Australian Children’s Television Foundation CEO Jenny Buckland.
Effective support for local children’s content is more critical than ever, argues ACTF CEO Jenny Buckland.
The screen sector is hoping the appointment of Paul Fletcher as Minister for Communications and the Arts will signal an end to government policy paralysis towards the industry.
"It’s time to produce new ways of supporting Australian children’s screen stories, rather than giving up on them."
The options paper being drafted by Screen Australia and the Australian Communications and Media Authority should set out funding mechanisms to support film and TV content, particularly for the most vulnerable sector, children's programming, while extending the kids quota to public broadcasters.
The commercial free-to-air networks and Foxtel are major beneficiaries of the Federal Government's package of measures to help sustain Australian media businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Screen Australia and ACMA options paper sets out four potential models for how local screen content could be regulated and incentivised into the future.