Skip to main content

Site navigation

  • University of Technology Sydney home
  • Home

    Home
  • For students

  • For industry

  • Research

Explore

  • Courses
  • Events
  • News
  • Stories
  • People

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Study at UTS

    • arrow_right_alt Find a course
    • arrow_right_alt Course areas
    • arrow_right_alt Undergraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Postgraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Research Masters and PhD
    • arrow_right_alt Online study and short courses
  • Student information

    • arrow_right_alt Current students
    • arrow_right_alt New UTS students
    • arrow_right_alt Graduates (Alumni)
    • arrow_right_alt High school students
    • arrow_right_alt Indigenous students
    • arrow_right_alt International students
  • Admissions

    • arrow_right_alt How to apply
    • arrow_right_alt Entry pathways
    • arrow_right_alt Eligibility
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for students

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Apply for a coursearrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Scholarshipsarrow_right_alt
  • Featured industries

    • arrow_right_alt Agriculture and food
    • arrow_right_alt Defence and space
    • arrow_right_alt Energy and transport
    • arrow_right_alt Government and policy
    • arrow_right_alt Health and medical
    • arrow_right_alt Corporate training
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Tech Central
    • arrow_right_alt Case studies
    • arrow_right_alt Research
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for industry

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Partner with usarrow_right_alt
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Explore our research
    • arrow_right_alt Research centres and institutes
    • arrow_right_alt Graduate research
    • arrow_right_alt Research partnerships
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for research

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Research centres and institutesarrow_right_alt
  • University of Technology Sydney home
Explore the University of Technology Sydney
Category Filters:
University of Technology Sydney home University of Technology Sydney home
  1. home
  2. arrow_forward_ios ... Newsroom
  3. arrow_forward_ios ... 2023
  4. arrow_forward_ios 02
  5. arrow_forward_ios Content quota for streamers

Content quota for streamers

10 February 2023
crowd of people looking at screens

Australia last week took another step towards imposing Australian content obligations on streaming services. A small step.

The government’s Revive national cultural policy included a commitment to  'introduce requirements for Australian screen content on streaming platforms'. There’s not much more in the way of detail, but there was a pledge to introduce these obligations in the third quarter of this year, to take effect from 1 July next year. As we wait for the consultation on the design of the new scheme, it’s worth recalling where the previous Coalition government got to on this issue, and how that differs from the Australian content rules that apply to free-to-air commercial TV and to pay TV.

First, the scheme with the longest history is of course the Australian content rules for commercial TV. In 2020 there was a big change in the obligations placed on free TV for both Australian content and children’s programs. The new Australian Content and Children’s Television Standards brought an easing of the requirements so that broadcasters now need to reach 250 points annually of first-release Australian content in a points scheme that values some genres (for example, high-budget feature films) more than others. Previously, there were more onerous sub-quotas that applied separately to adult drama and children’s programs. And this is in addition to the overall transmission quota of 55% Australian programs from 6am to midnight, set out in the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA).

In contrast to these broadcast quotas, the pay TV industry (meaning Foxtel and its drama channels) needs to make a financial investment in Australian content. Under the New Eligible Drama Expenditure (NEDE) Scheme in the BSA, an amount equal to 10% of the total program expenditure of each drama channel needs to be invested in eligible Australian drama programs. The Coalition planned to lower the pay TV expenditure rate to 5%, but this never happened.

Late in its last term, and off the back of previous work by the ACMA and Screen Australia, the Coalition issued a discussion paper that set out the basic design of a proposed new scheme for streaming services. Like the NEDE scheme for pay TV, it was based on financial investment in new Australian programs, rather than content quotas. And like the planned changes to the NEDE scheme, the threshold investment rate was 5% (this time, of Australian revenue). But unlike both the pay TV and commercial TV schemes – which are enforced through licence conditions – the only hard regulatory obligation was a requirement to report on investment. An enforceable 5% levy would only apply if a streaming service was designated (there’s that word again) as a ‘Tier 2’ service because it hadn’t reported or because its investment levels hadn’t reached 5%.

At the time the Coalition left government, the crucial and unknown element was the investment level that would be imposed on streamers who were moved into Tier 2. The then government stated it would not necessarily be 5%, leaving the question open. And this is exactly the point at which the ALP government has now arrived. Although the design of the scheme overall might not look anything like that proposed by the Coalition, the key question of how much streaming services will be required to invest is open for debate. The production sector is lobbying for a 20% levy, showing there will be wildly varying views on where to set the threshold, while the commercial TV sector is wary of the increased   costs in acquiring Australian content.

While the rate of investment is probably the most important policy issue, the Coalition’s 2022 consultation paper showed there’s several other design elements that need addressing. More on that from us when we hear more from the government.  

Derek Wilding - CMT Co-Director

Derek Wilding, CMT Co-Director

Share
Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn
Back to CMT news

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

University of Technology Sydney

City Campus

15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

Get in touch with UTS

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

A member of

  • Australian Technology Network
Use arrow keys to navigate within each column of links. Press Tab to move between columns.

Study

  • Find a course
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • How to apply
  • Scholarships and prizes
  • International students
  • Campus maps
  • Accommodation

Engage

  • Find an expert
  • Industry
  • News
  • Events
  • Experience UTS
  • Research
  • Stories
  • Alumni

About

  • Who we are
  • Faculties
  • Learning and teaching
  • Sustainability
  • Initiatives
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Campus and locations
  • Awards and rankings
  • UTS governance

Staff and students

  • Current students
  • Help and support
  • Library
  • Policies
  • StaffConnect
  • Working at UTS
  • UTS Handbook
  • Contact us
  • Copyright © 2025
  • ABN: 77 257 686 961
  • CRICOS provider number: 00099F
  • TEQSA provider number: PRV12060
  • TEQSA category: Australian University
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility