Australian content quotas kick in for streaming giants
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The news: Streaming services with more than 1 million Australian subscribers will now be required to commit 10% or more of their total local program expenditure, or 7.5% of revenue, on local content.
This will hit large providers such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon under new laws that come into effect from 1 January. Other streaming services are also likely to be captured, such as HBO Max and Apple TV+.
The context: The legislation passed parliament at the end of November. It followed warnings from the influential US entertainment lobby group Motion Picture Association to the US Trade Representative that the quotas could run afoul of Australia’s free trade deal with the US.
The federal government has dismissed these concerns, saying the content requirements were informed by “extensive consultation” with stakeholders in Australia and the US.
The numbers: In the 2024-25 financial year, data from the Australian Communications and Media Authority shows Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix, Nine Entertainment’s Stan and Paramount+ collectively spent about $414 million on Australian content. This was a $73 million jump on the prior year and the largest spend on record.
The sources: Capital Brief, Office for the Arts
