AUSTRALIAN SCREEN INDUSTRY GUILDS AND ASSOCIATIONS RESPONSE TO THE MEDIA REFORM GREEN PAPER 2021
The ACS continues to be part of the Australian Screen Industry Guilds and to that end has recently been involved in sending our own submission to Government regarding Legislation to halve the drama expenditure requirement on pay TV which is currently being reviewed by a Senate Committee. This follows the Government’s announcement in September 2020 to cut the pay TV drama expenditure requirement from 10% to 5%.
SPA will be preparing a submission that opposes the cut, particularly in light of the fact that the regulatory framework for streaming services is yet to be determined.
Under the New Eligible Drama Expenditure scheme (NEDE), subscription broadcasting licensees (primarily Foxtel) are required to spend at least 10% of total program expenditure for each drama channel on new Australian drama programs. The Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Bill 2021, will reduce the rate to 5%. The legislation is available here, and more information on the Senate Committee is available here.
Without the assistance from Holly Brimble at SPA, our submission would not necessarily have had the content it needed.
The Australian screen industry guilds and associations believe that regulation is urgently needed to ensure that Australians continue to see Australian stories on their screens.
This from ADG CEO Alaric MacAusland:
The Guilds joint submission has now been sent. Attaching the final for your files.
Here’s a link should you wish to circulate it in your socials: Australian Screen Industry Guilds and Organisations Submission Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures) Bill No.1 2021_28th May 2021_Final (adg.org.au)
Thanks again for all your support on this important initiative.
Now onto the next one – the release of draft legislation to implement previously announced reforms to the Producer, PDV and Location Offsets. Comments by 31 May 2021.The draft legislation and details on how to make a submission are here.
