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Why Aussie TV drama is being mugged by America


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Why Aussie TV drama is being mugged by America

Daily Telegraph

8 March 2006

IT was Australian TV drama's annus horribilis. In 2005, Headland beached, The Alice dried up, Last Man Standing fell and The Surgeons flatlined. And the ABC, well, it appeared to black-ban Australian drama.

But it might have turned. Last week's announcement Network Ten will pilot two new dramas has gladdened many who were beginning to convince themselves local product couldn't compete with international fare. Even if one of the new shows, Secretary, sounds like an Aussie Sex & The City.

Some Australian producers saw the writing on the profit and loss statement -- why would a commercial network contribute to a $400,000 episode of a local drama when they can buy, say, CSI for $50,000 an episode, a glossy drama that costs $2 million to make?

Well, for drama quota points, for one.

Each network, as part of their licence agreement, is required to screen a set quota of Australian drama each year.

But when Nine's Comedy Inc. qualifies as drama, that requirement is moot. No wonder one senior TV executive suggested to me late last year news and sport should also qualify.

Audiences are now weaned on incredible production values from US and UK drama. Our market size means McLeod's Daughters, no matter how competent, will never have the budget of Desperate Housewives or Lost. And don't even think of trying the kind of special effects used in House or CSI.

Essentially, McLeod's Daughters, All Saints and Home & Away remain the only local dramas standing solidly, with the latter two strengthening this year for Seven.

In Home & Away's case, new approaches to scripting and filming in the past 18 months have paid off, as well as its work on building loyalty through its website.

Australians will watch Australian drama but they will sniff any weaknesses and be harsh judges.

We'll pillory any Australian show that displays cultural inaccuracies or cliches but Hollywood and American culture are one and the same.

Our knowledge of America comes from the TV screen and it's quite a message Hollywood can spin.

What we learn is US drama is glossier, more expensive and better resourced. For Australian drama producers, it's a tough act to follow.

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Why Aussie TV drama is being mugged by America

Daily Telegraph

8 March 2006

IT was Australian TV drama's annus horribilis. In 2005, Headland beached, The Alice dried up, Last Man Standing fell and The Surgeons flatlined. And the ABC, well, it appeared to black-ban Australian drama.

But it might have turned. Last week's announcement Network Ten will pilot two new dramas has gladdened many who were beginning to convince themselves local product couldn't compete with international fare. Even if one of the new shows, Secretary, sounds like an Aussie Sex & The City.

Some Australian producers saw the writing on the profit and loss statement -- why would a commercial network contribute to a $400,000 episode of a local drama when they can buy, say, CSI for $50,000 an episode, a glossy drama that costs $2 million to make?

Well, for drama quota points, for one.

Each network, as part of their licence agreement, is required to screen a set quota of Australian drama each year.

But when Nine's Comedy Inc. qualifies as drama, that requirement is moot. No wonder one senior TV executive suggested to me late last year news and sport should also qualify.

Audiences are now weaned on incredible production values from US and UK drama. Our market size means McLeod's Daughters, no matter how competent, will never have the budget of Desperate Housewives or Lost. And don't even think of trying the kind of special effects used in House or CSI.

Essentially, McLeod's Daughters, All Saints and Home & Away remain the only local dramas standing solidly, with the latter two strengthening this year for Seven.

In Home & Away's case, new approaches to scripting and filming in the past 18 months have paid off, as well as its work on building loyalty through its website.

Australians will watch Australian drama but they will sniff any weaknesses and be harsh judges.

We'll pillory any Australian show that displays cultural inaccuracies or cliches but Hollywood and American culture are one and the same.

Our knowledge of America comes from the TV screen and it's quite a message Hollywood can spin.

What we learn is US drama is glossier, more expensive and better resourced. For Australian drama producers, it's a tough act to follow.

Why is it that a physical invasion of a country is seen as reprehensible ( unless by USA ) and a cultural invasion is seen as free trade?

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Yes I must admit I am not much a fan of Aussie movies although The Castle, Looking for Alibrandi and The Wog Boy are great to watch. Australian drama on television is sadly becoming extinct. The only ones I do watch now are Home and Away and All Saints. It is sad to see the other shows go but I fear that more australian drama will soon follow this path due to low ratings and low budgets.

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It is a sad state of affairs, Aussie television at the moment. As the article said, 10 are trying two new shows this year, and I have heard that 7 will have at least two new ones for next year. Hopefully they will get at least two of those four to be successful, which will take our tally of local drama to 6 (if you count Neighbours as a drama, and if McLeod's is still around then which it mightn't be if the rumours I've heard are true) by the end of 2007. That is a pathetic number, but what's worse is that that sounds like a big number right now.

I think that they need to be more strict about what counts towards drama points for the quota each year for the networks. Perhaps that will lift the amount of Aussie [drama] shows on TV at the moment. I understand that it is more expensive, and they aren't as flash (ie: special effects) as the US stuff (due to the smaller budgets). But I do quite enjoy watching Aussie shows.

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It seems very short sighted to me that countries with a relatively low population, when compared to the UK or the USA don't subsidise their drama industry so that they can compete on equal terrms. It would lead to much more variety. I do think we get far too much American drama on the TV. Some of it is good, but some of it is rubbish, and I would like to see more Asutralian as well as British drama on the TV.

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