More than $18 million was spent by subscription TV licensees and channel providers on new Australian drama programs in the 2022-23 financial year, according to new data from the ACMA.
The subscription television's new eligible drama expenditure (NEDE) compliance results also showed all seven subscription TV licensees and channel providers met the minimum requirements of the scheme.
The total of $18.42 million spent on new Australian drama programs was consistent with the 2021-22 financial year, when $18.72 million was spent.
Under the NEDE rules, subscription TV licensees that broadcast drama channels are required to invest 10 per cent of their total expenditure in new Australian drama programs. This requirement also applies to channel providers, being companies that provide drama channels to subscription TV licensees in Australia.
The rules provide for the expenditure obligation to be incurred in one year and acquitted in either the same financial year or the following year. This means that any shortfalls and surpluses from the previous year can be carried across the following financial year.
In each financial year, licensees and channel providers must acquit their previous financial year's shortfall for each drama channel, in order to be compliant with the rules.
For the 2022-23 financial year, subscription TV licensees and channel providers reported amounts totalling $17 million in shortfalls to be made up in 2023-24.
