Trends of Programming (and how it affects employment)

One of my initial research questions related to the trends of free to air programming and how it affects local employment. I think this is important to find out because we all want to work in the television industry and this will assist us in knowing what sectors we are able to work in, within the future.

One way of finding out the trends of current programming is viewing OZtam’s Top 20 programs. By seeing this weeks chart (1st – 7th April), local employment will not be affected that much considering that 17 out of the top 20 shows are Australian which is up from the last time I checked, which was about 3 weeks ago (11th – 17th March) where there was 13/20 local content.

However, the type of shows evident demonstrates a real problem for the area in which certain individuals can work in. Only one dramatic production is on the list – All Saints which is at #4. The rest are variety and game show programs such as Rove Live, which is at #1, Dancing with the stars (#2), News, 1 vs 100, so if employees want to specialise in a television drama series, options are limited (this is also why people have to be multi skilled in other areas).

This is demonstrated by the recent announcements relating to free to air network’s upcoming schedules. Commitments to drama production by the channel 10 and 7 networks does not look good for local employment. With channel 10 only supporting local drama with the telemovie The Joanne Lees Story, which aired in the past month, priorities certainly lie in other areas.

Among the local productions, Ten stated that they will offer a new family entertainment series, a game show, as well as two factual series. Ten has also entered into new programming deals with 20th Century Fox and CBS Entertainment. The new overseas products that will screen this year includes a great number of Jamie Oliver projects and three US series.

(I think this is due to cost issues with a drama production costing approximately $500,000 to make while importing an episode of a US drama costs networks $80,000)

Seven's announcement of the first phase of its plans for 2007 featured just one new local program, the format show Australia's Got Talent, alongside six new US series and a major emphasis on sporting coverage. So Seven – at the moment – will not be contributing to local dramatic content.

Nine has announced the mini-series Tsunami, to join series, Sea Patrol. It will also screen the NZ-set reality series The Lost Tribes, two new local factual series; and talk show The Dame Edna Experience, as well as three series from the US and NZ's Outrageous Fortune.

Thanks to the increasing ad revenue, SBS Independent (SBSi) has pledged $94.5 million dollars to independent producers over the next four years. SBS has pre-bought the three-part series Desperately Seeking Doctors and Adam Elliot's new animated feature Mary and Max, while giving in-principle approval to one six-part and two three-part series and five new local documentaries. Which sounds promising.

Finally, ABC TV will screen an additional 15 hours of Australian drama and 25 hours of local documentaries from the additional allocation of $10 million over three years. Thus far, the ABC has commissioned two new one-off one-hour dramas; telemovies Valentine's Day and Curtin; the mini-series Bastard Boys, and six-part dramas The Librarians and Rainshadow. Outside of drama, new programming will include Wendy Harmer's four-part series Stuff, a debate and discussion show, and a one-hour topical comedy program with Ted Robinson.

It seems that the 3 dominating networks are interested in winning the ratings race rather than helping fund our striving local drama productions. This is evident where Channel 10 is set to axe plans for a second season of Tripping Over after it tanked in the UK, even though it has respectable ratings here(2). While SBS and ABC are interested in developing drama content.

There are many avenues for work however it is hard to specialise in a specific area like drama due to the limited productions which are offered (on the other hand all productions are similar eg. studio lights/ camera etc SoooOooo yeah *fix later).

Next, I will talk about Ratings and how affective they are considering how ratings are collated.

(1) (2)