RMIT experts are available in the lead up to the '100 Years of Broadcast TV Symposium' to comment on why broadcast TV is still important for Australia.
Dr Damien O’Meara, Lecturer in Public Relations
"Broadcast TV in Australia remains vital for reach, access and equity when it comes to news, information and entertainment.
"While we see pushes in other markets to move away from broadcast, such as the UK and Europe, Australia must think critically about what we can learn from our past and carry that into the future.
"As a latecomer to television, Australia built its local brand against the prominence of the more established UK and US industries. That meant legislation and regulation was vital to seeing our own stories on screen, and ensuring Australian culture was part of the rise of television across the nation.
"We forged a brand for gritty and grounded crime procedurals, must-watch drama and soaps, and children’s and youth TV that goes there, making young people around the world look to Australia to explore tough issues. But that brand came from a rich history where technology, policy, investment, and people converged to make Aussie TV punch above its weight on the international stage.
"Streaming does not yet provide the investment, prominence, or reach and access of broadcast. We must start these conversations now as we consider the continuing role of broadcast TV in the future."
In a panel at the Symposium, Reflecting on Australian TV history, Dr O’Meara will lead a discussion about Australia’s TV brand, the sustainability of and support for broadcast TV, and the role TV has played in our nation and national identity.
Dr Damien O’Meara’s research investigates communication, brand and visibility in creative industries. He examines how creative workers and media institutions construct and negotiate identity, create value, define and reach audiences, and include underrepresented communities onscreen.
Dr Alexa Scarlata, Lecturer in Digital Communication
"Over the last two decades, the broadcast TV disruptor has become the disrupted.
"Streaming, social media and countless media convergences have irrevocably changed the broadcast TV industry.
"More Australians are now watching content via paid subscription services than free-to-air TV. Broadcast ad rates have plummeted and revenues have declined, leading to regional closures and content cuts.
"The future of television broadcasting in Australia is highly uncertain, but uneven broadcast infrastructure, the rising costs of subscriptions and differences in digital skills means that streaming remains out of reach for many Australians.
"Broadcast TV will continue to play an integral role in providing free local news, sport and entertainment."
In a panel at the Symposium, Australian broadcast TV today and beyond, Dr Scarlata will consider what’s being made and watched on broadcast TV today; what the commercial broadcasters are focusing on, now that content quotas are more flexible, and the gaps our public service broadcasters are subsequently trying to fill; and what Australian broadcast TV could look like in the future.
Dr Alexa Scarlata is a scholar of media and cultural industries with a special interest in internet distributed television, content production and national screen policy.
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