The new eligible drama expenditure scheme results – 2007–08

In meeting its obligations under the new eligible drama expenditure scheme, the subscription television industry spent $20.06 million on Australian and New Zealand drama programs in the 2007-08 financial year.

This investment enabled Australians to participate in the production of a wide variety of feature films and drama series such as The King, Balibo 5 and Satisfaction, 2:37, H2O Just Add Water and The Mansion.

The 2007-08 investments were also used to support new Australian film or animation opportunities such as Tropfest, Optus one80 project competition, and Nick Shorts, where selected new original animation short films will be broadcast nationally on a range of Nickelodeon Australia’s media platforms.

As set out in the table below, of the $20.06 million spent on Australian and New Zealand drama in 2007-08, $9.16 million was allocated by licensees and channel providers to acquit the current year obligation, with $10.47 million allocated to acquit the 2006-07 obligations. Licensees and channel providers will be required to spend $13.94 million in 2008-09 in order to acquit the 2007-08 obligations.

In 2007-08, all but three scheme participants met their previous year’s expenditure obligations. A total of $22,300 was not acquitted according to the rules of the scheme. The ACMA is considering any further action that may be required in respect of those licensees.

Aggregate expenditure on new Australian drama by subscription TV drama services

^* Licensees failed to acquit $22,300 of 2006-07 obligation within the prescribed timeframe

Drama channels and productions

The 18 drama channels reported on are: Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, Hallmark Channel, Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney, Fox 8, Fox Classics, Movie Extra, Movie Greats, Movie One, Nickelodeon, Showcase, Showtime, Showtime Greats, TV1, SCI FI and UKTV.

The licensees broadcasting relevant drama channels are: AUSTAR, FOXTEL, Neighbourhood Cable, Optus, SelecTV, Telstra, and TransACT. The channel providers participating in the scheme are: Sparrowhawk International Channels Limited (providing the Hallmark channel drama packages); Walt Disney Television Australia; Foxtel; the Movie Network Channels; Nickelodeon Australia; The Premium Movie Partnership (providing the Showtime channels drama packages); TV1 (providing the TV1 and SCI FI channel drama packages); and UKTV.

For the expenditure to qualify under the scheme, the investment must be for a production that meets the definition of ‘eligible drama program’. The scheme establishes a requirement to spend on Australian drama programs, however there is no requirement that the drama program be broadcast on a subscription television service.

The Broadcasting Services Act defines a subscription television drama service as a service devoted predominantly to drama programs.

Australian and/or New Zealand drama programs and co-productions reported include the following: