The Sam Neill/Annette Bening drama Apples Never Fall, currently in production in Queensland with an estimated budget of $79 million, will be one of the biggest shows locally to be affected by the industrial actionâŚ
The series, being made for US streaming service Peacock, was due to film until August.
Also hit by the industrial action is Mortal Kombat 2, which is currently shooting in Queensland.
Sources indicate that at least one other big-budget production, as yet unannounced, is believed to be at risk as a result of the industrial action, which some anticipate could potentially drag on for the rest of the year.
Media release from Screen Producers Australia
Screen Producers Australia (SPA) acknowledges that last night SAG-AFTRA issued a Strike Notice and Order declaring a strike by its members of all services under the SAG-AFTRA Agreements that cover scripted TV, Film and New Media productions.
SPA notes the strike does not apply to non-scripted productions, including documentaries, light entertainment and reality shows.
However, it will apply to some scripted TV and feature films produced in Australia. SPA anticipates that a limited number of scripted âoffshoreâ (i.e. non-Australian) productions will be affected by the strike, with cast and crew stood down while the strike continues.
However, local scripted productions, produced and controlled by Australian production companies, engaging Australian and Imported SAG members, will remain unaffected by the strike order provided they engage all cast under Australian Industry Contracts in accordance with the Global Rule One Agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA).
SPA is working to provide its member businesses with up-to-date information and will continue to provide updates as they emerge.
SPA hopes for a quick resolution to the strike.
Kerry Packer may have had only one Alan Bond in his lifetime, it seems Banjay is the next Alan Bond.
That ânecessary integrationâ didnât go so well by the French.
Hopefully Mikael is around long enough to steer the company to good health.
Hard to say with no financial details disclosed, but good way to turn it private, as it was public previously.
Gender Pay Gap:
| Organisation | Total salary gap | Pay quartile distribution | Women managers | Representation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||||
| Sky News | -1.10% | 40% | 47% | 51% | 38% | 24% | 44% |
| Nine Entertainment | 10.10% | 55% | 51% | 40% | 37% | 45% | 46% |
| Seven West | 13.80% | 60% | 50% | 46% | 38% | 47% | 48% |
| ABC | 52% | 55% | |||||
| SBS | 50% | 53% | |||||
| Private Media | 11.80% | 60% | 40% | 80% | 30% | 53% | 53% |
| News Corp | 9.40% | 53% | 52% | 51% | 39% | 46% | 49% |
| AAP | 4.50% | 57% | 29% | 42% | 31% | 39% | 40% |
| Foxtel | 9.80% | 52% | 45% | 38% | 33% | 36% | 42% |
| Network 10 | 5.50% | 57% | 49% | 49% | 46% | 54% | 50% |
| Guardian Australia | 2.50% | 72% | 47% | 56% | 57% | 60% | 58% |
BBC STUDIOS PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA ACQUIRES WERNER FILM PRODUCTIONS
BBC Studios Productions Australia has acquired award-winning independent Werner Film Productions who specialise in the development and production of high-quality, original drama series including The Newsreader for ABC, which was also broadcast on the BBC, and Surviving Summer for Netflix.
The deal marks a significant investment by BBC Studios Productions Australia in the local production industry and provides Werner Film Productions with the backing of one of the worldâs biggest global distributors, as it continues to grow its production of drama series for Australian and global audiences.
Werner Film Productions will continue to be led by Company Director Joanna Werner and Managing Director Stuart Menzies and will operate alongside BBC Studiosâ local production arm as an independent label, with both companies producing their own projects. This model replicates the way that BBC Studios works with many of its other production labels and invested indies in the UK and globally, supporting some of the worldâs leading creative companies and talent.
Alongside an exciting slate of projects in development, Werner Film Productions is currently in production on the third series of The Newsreader which has won multiple awards, including 10 AACTAs and two Logies, and became one of the BBCâs most watched dramas when it launched in the UK, as well as ranking fourth in Varietyâs list of the best international tv shows of 2022. Teen surfing drama Surviving Summer picked up a cult audience around the world with this yearâs second series spending two weeks in Netflixâs global Top 10.
Kylie Washington, General Manager and Creative Director of BBC Studios Productions Australia, said: âIâm excited to welcome Werner Film Productions into the family. Australia has an incredibly vibrant creative community and is producing shows that resonate around the world so itâs a great time to invest further to support our local production industry.
âJo and Stuart are amongst the best in the business and have a great track record in producing smart, entertaining and engaging dramas that speak to international audiences while remaining quintessentially Aussie. Their commitment to growing a sustainable industry and nurturing new talent aligns exactly with our values making them a fantastic addition to BBC Studiosâ stable of independent labels.â
Jo Werner, Company Director, Werner Film Productions, said: - âWe are absolutely thrilled to join the global powerhouse BBC Studios and the brilliant team at BBC Studios Productions Australia. Working with BBC Studios will help us continue to tell Australian stories on a larger canvas for audiences here and around the world.â
Matt Forde, Managing Director, Global Entertainment, BBC Studios Productions said: âIt has been great getting to know Jo, Stuart and the rest of the Werner Film Productions team over the last couple of years. Their passion and creativity has seen them carve out a place as one of the most talented and interesting scripted companies in the world. The Newsreader has been a massive hit on the BBC in the UK with viewers and critics alike, as well as internationally. Iâm excited by the projects they have in development and the opportunity for BBC Studios to support the slate that Jo is building.â
BBC Studios Productions Australia Slate
BBC Studios Productions Australia is currently in production on local Death in Paradise spin-off Return to Paradise, produced with Red Planet Pictures for the ABC in association with the BBC; Dancing With the Stars for Seven Network; Top Gear Australia for Paramount + and Mastermind for SBS. A second series of hit quiz show The 1% Club is currently on air on Seven Network with a third series already commissioned. The Office Australia, co-produced with Bunya Entertainment, will screen on Prime Video and The Great Australian Bake Off S8, based on the format created by Love Productions, will screen on Lifestyle/Binge later this year. Original unscripted titles for SBS are The MatchMakers, which screened in February and Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye which will air later in 2024.
Will BBC Studiosâ acquisition of Werner Film Productions lead to a change of distributor for The Newsreader? The first two seasons are distributed by eOne.
ACMA lays out draft plan for future of Australian airwaves
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) today laid out its draft plan for the management of Australiaâs spectrum â the wireless communications frequencies that carry mobile data, satellite transmissions and broadcast signals.
The draft Five-year spectrum outlook 2024â29 (FYSO) canvasses a range of potential use cases, including increasing the spectrum available for 5G wireless broadband as well as new satellite technologies, both supporting greater network coverage and connectivity.
ACMA authority member and spectrum lead Adam Suckling said the ACMA was now calling on stakeholders to give their thoughts on the draft plan to help shape the future of Australiaâs digital communications over the next five years.
âSpectrum management isnât discussed a lot in Australia but it plays an enormous role in our everyday lives,â Mr Suckling said.
âWithout knowing it, each and every day Australians use spectrum for everything from watching TV to using their mobiles and accessing the internet. Spectrum also supports the most critical infrastructure that drives business and our national economy, so itâs incredibly important we consult as widely as possible on its future use.â
The draft FYSO also looks at potential future use of the upper 6 GHz frequency band.
âInternationally, the upper 6 GHz band is growing in importance for both 5G as well as the next generation of Wi-Fi technology, with strong and divergent views on the best use of the band. Accordingly, we are moving to the preliminary planning stage in order to come to a decision on the future use of this band.
âWe are also now implementing our approach to the 1.9GHz band so that various uses of the band can coexist. For example, that will mean rail services and major entertainment events can have access to this band at the same time. Performers at large concerts can use wireless microphones without the risk of interfering with the next generation of railway communications used by the trains bringing fans to the venue.
âThe ACMA will also complete its program of allocations of important 3.4-4.0 GHz spectrum, which have been designed to accommodate a range of users and use cases. Applications for area-wide licences in the 3.8 GHz band of this spectrum will open shortly.
âSpectrum licences in this band allow organisations to build their own private communications networks to support their business needs,â Mr Suckling said.
âWe have already seen an uptake of private networks by the construction and mining sectors and are starting to see other sectors showing an interest as well, such as agriculture, transport and utilities businesses.
âWe anticipate this trend will continue, with increasing demand for private networks using 5G technology.â
The ACMA has published the draft FYSO on its website with consultation submissions closing COB 22 April 2024.
Includes:
600 MHz
The 600 MHz band is currently used by digital television services in Australia and is available for some services under the LIPD class licence. Current television channel arrangements include spectrum inside and outside the 600 MHz band.
Planning decisions for the 600 MHz band will be guided by relevant Government policy decisions. Making spectrum available in this band would require a further restack of television channels to yield a contiguous block of spectrum. We are undertaking technical research funded from the governmentâs Television Research and Policy Development Program to assist the government deliberations about future changes to television arrangements.
Planning radio and television services
Broadcasting services may be delivered using spectrum, including AM and FM frequencies (for radio), VHF, UHF and satellite frequencies.
Evolving digital transmission technology and changes in viewer and listener behaviour are altering the modes of delivery and, consequently, changing the broadcasting demand for spectrum. For example, we are aware that some television broadcasters have been changing the video compression standard of some of their services from MPEG2 to MPEG4. In some areas, all the television services are now delivered using the MPEG4 compression standard.
We continue with a significant program of radio planning and allocation activities, informed and prioritised by our radio broadcast planning priorities, outlined in our Future delivery of radio report. These include AM to FM conversions and improving the coverage of existing services.
We are also supporting trials of new broadcasting technology â in 2023, we licensed multiple trials of small-scale DAB+ technology and past trials have included DAB+, DRM for AM (DRM30) and DRM for FM (DRM+) technologies for radio. We have expanded the AMâFM conversion program for commercial radio broadcasting services in regional areas to include competitive markets. FM conversion of AM services in regional areas has the potential to improve listener experience and support industry by delivering improved audio quality, reduced signal interference and lower costs for broadcasters. We are continuing to work with commercial AM licensees in solus and competitive regional radio markets to progress their requests for AMâFM conversions.