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The Forum > Article Comments > Free-to-air's future > Comments

Free-to-air's future : Comments

By Ian Nance, published 13/12/2012

To have a good business future, free-to-air will have to find ways to do those things which its opposition fails to achieve.

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One way FTA networks could attract audiences would be to use more locally-produced content, instead of filling Australian lives with cheaply-dumped US content. Our universities and TAFE colleges emit streams of talented and trained media personal every year. Those who get work in the local industry are few and positions are untenable. Many go overseas or retrain for other industries; this goes for actors, directors, producers and technical people. How many musicians, writers and graphical talents are there, waiting for a job? There is a niche to be filled, surely.
Posted by David Leigh, Thursday, 13 December 2012 9:22:12 AM
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Well free to air needs a better business plan that reflects the new reality, and or competition model.
Near neighbour and a much poorer NZ seems to have a thriving film industry!
Why can't we churn out something like Merlin, or Once upon a time?
What's missing?
Imagination?
We have the topography to create something like the, Dune trilogy?
Have all our publishing houses been asleep at the wheel, while stuff like a HAND WRITTEN Harry Potter, makes billions for the whole entertainment industry.
Pimp my ride or trick my truck may rate well in a car mad US, but arguably Australian audiences find endlessly recycled American trash, as boring as bat poo?
Time for some local content, and something like a revamped locally made Battle star Galactic; and or,something very different, like say, a serialised reassembled man.
Imagine, a tired worn out Aussie oldie, who is genetically modified, by a mad billionaire scientist/visiting aliens?
And is gradually aging backwards towards their prime? Is now very strong and very fast, has strange new mind/future reading and mood altering powers, where he or she can address some wrongs, teach some urban train riding ju'ves some manners, or compel them to clean up some of the garbage they spray on other people's property etc/etc/etc?
Should go down very well with the afternoon audience!
Local stories, local talent and local content!
Let the contest begin in earnest, and may the most entertaining enterprise capture a very lucrative international audience!
And or, may the most entertaining/local content channel, be the last one still standing or solvent!
Gentlemen/Survivors, start your engines!
Rhrosty.
Posted by Rhrosty, Thursday, 13 December 2012 11:35:57 AM
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Rhrosty, it is not creativity that is missing, it is the interference by government, of the film and TV industry that stops it in its tracks. I am a screenwriter and novelist. I am also a filmmaker. I have a one-hour feature Tasmanian documentary screening in the US and Canada but the networks won't touch it here. It can be viewed on Fairfax TV: www.theage.com.au/tv/Environment/A-Worm-in-the-Apple-4262515.html - It was the most viewed in its first week but no takers from FTA land.

There are thousands of new writers, myself included, with books. No Australian publisher will touch an unknown. Even the agents now only want to take on established writers. I have 3 books currently in print... in the USA.

Many of the writers, actors and filmmakers I trained with are working in other industries or have gone overseas to find work. What is needed is a system like the US, where the industry itself funds new projects and banks on 80% failure at the box office. They realised years ago that, in order to get the 20% that make it big, you need the 80% that don't. Keep the government out of the film industry and we might get some local content.

In the UK, the government decided to digitalise FTA TV. They issued 5 licences to each of the 5 existing players, on the condition that they had at least 50% local content and different content on each channel. They then introduced a 6th player to give them competition. It worked and they now have a bourgeoning TV industry with masses of UK content. Many of the people I trained with are over in the UK working. What’s our biggest export - apart from great lumps of Australian soil and rock-? It must be talent, surely.
Posted by David Leigh, Thursday, 13 December 2012 12:38:58 PM
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