Netflix may be forced to feature more Australian content

Popular streaming services like Netflix, Stan, and Amazon Prime could be forced to feature a certain amount of Australian-made content. An inquiry was made by the Department of Communications to instigate a review which will ensure that homegrown entertainment gets the support and the audience it requires.

Currently Australian free-to-air television networks are required by legislation to have 55% Australian content between 6am to midnight. Meanwhile, the paid streaming services are not hindered by such restrictions, which the inquiry looks to change. The review will be jointly conducted by the Department of Communications and the Arts, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), and Screen Australia, all of whom aim to develop reasonable local content quotas for streaming services.

“Over the past decade, fundamental changes have taken place in the media landscape, defined by the entry of new online services offering catch up TV, streaming, subscription video on demand and user generated video,” reads a statement on the Department of Communications website.

“While industry changes provide new opportunities for Australia’s world class screen practitioners to deliver their work to new audiences here and internationally, they have also challenged existing business models. In this rapidly changing environment, it is necessary to review our support and regulatory measures to ensure they remain fit for purpose in the digital era.”