Australian screen industry faces discoverability challenges despite economic growth

New research from Screen Australia, titled ‘Screen Currency 2026’, reveals that while Australians highly value local content, producers face significant hurdles in reaching audiences. Although 85% of Australians state that access to local content is important and 75% desire more, 60% of viewers spend less than 30% of their viewing time on local productions. Additionally, only 36% of respondents find local content easy to discover.

The screen and games sectors contributed over A$11 billion in gross value added to the Australian economy in 2023-24 and employed nearly 70,000 people in 2024-25. Exports reached A$1.6 billion in the same period, largely driven by the gaming sector, which has seen an average annual increase of 15% since 2016-17.

Industry leaders have noted the distinction between service production for international projects and the development of domestic intellectual property. Screen Producers Australia CEO Matthew Deaner emphasized that while international productions bring investment and jobs, they are not a substitute for investing in Australian-owned stories and businesses. Screen Australia CEO Deidre Brennan highlighted that the sector is in a pivotal moment of transformation, noting that younger audiences are increasingly reliant on algorithms and short-form content, making discoverability a critical challenge for traditional content makers.