National Campaign Launch: Australian Screens. Australian Stories.

Â

The Australian public will be duped by the Federal Government if the proposed changes are passed by parliament. The new requirement for each multi-channel to broadcast minimum hours of Australian content per year will not increase the amount of new Australian stories broadcast on our free-to-air television stations. Those requirements can and will be met by airing news, sport, reality programs and endless repeats of aged sitcoms.

The government is preparing legislation, announced by Senator Conroy on 30 November last year, for presentation to the March parliamentary sittings. The legislation will mandate the commercial networks to screen at least 12 % Australian content between 6am and midnight across their digital channels by 2015.

"This is a approximately half the amount of Australian content they currently show on their multi-channels," said Australian Directors Guild Executive Director Kingston Anderson. "Critically, there is no requirement to screen any first run content so the quota can be filled by repeats of programs from the main channel."

Senator Conroy's November press release stated that 'seeing Australian stories told on TV is vital in reflecting and maintaining our Australian identity, character and diversity' and that the government is 'taking a number of steps to enable commercial television broadcasters to continue to invest in and broadcast Australian content.'

"That's a truism that plays well in the press but it bears no relationship with the announcement that was actually being made," said AWG Executive Director Jacqueline Elaine. "The proposed changes will not result in any increase in the vulnerable program genres that tell original Australian stories - locally made drama, narrative comedy, children’s programs and documentaries."

The legislation also plans to give the commercial networks ‘flexibility’ to spread their current Australian content requirements over all their channels. "Government has over time carefully built regulation around investing in the most vulnerable program types," said SPAA Executive Director Matthew Deaner. "Flexibility has the potential to undermine this carefully constructed industry to the detriment of jobs and Australian viewers."

"The local content quotas we're asking for will not cost the taxpayer a cent. These quotas were actually recommended by the government's own convergence review, which revealed a huge increase in foreign TV programs since the introduction of the multi-channels," said Actors Equity Director Sue McCreadie. "The cost should be borne by the commercial networks – which is not a lot to ask given the government is handing them a permanent cut in license fees and a commitment not to allow a fourth free-to-air network."

This Government hand out to the networks has already saved them $209 million and the prevention of a fourth network competitor.

We're calling on Australians to sign an online petition in support of meaningful local content regulation, and urge members and their friends to sign and mail postcards, designed by 2012 Walkley Award winning cartoonist First Dog on the Moon, to their local MP.

Download an electronic campaign postcard to email to your local member of parliament here, and sign the online petition at http://www.communityrun.org/p/australianstories.

Please take a minute to spread the word to your contacts far and wide.