According to new data from the ACMA, subscription TV licensees and channel providers spent a total of $19.09 million on new Australian drama programs in the 2024-25 financial year, down from $32.54 million in 2023-24.
The subscription television new eligible drama expenditure (NEDE) compliance results also showed all five subscription TV licensees and channel providers met the minimum requirements of the scheme.
Under the NEDE rules, subscription TV licensees that broadcast drama channels are required to invest a minimum of 10 per cent of their total expenditure in new Australian drama programs. This requirement also applies to channel providers - companies that provide drama channels to subscription TV licensees in Australia.
In 2024-25, subscription TV licensees and channel providers spent $80.2 million as total program expenditure on drama channels. This resulted in an aggregated NEDE target of $8.02 million for 2024-25, down from $10.63 million in 2023-24.
The rules allow 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 annual shortfalls and surpluses can be carried across to the following financial year.
In order to be compliant with the rules, in each financial year licensees and channel providers must acquit their previous financial year's shortfall for each drama channel.
There was no expenditure shortfall in 2023-24 that subscription TV licensees and channel providers were required to acquit in 2024-25. Licensees and channel providers also met all the current year's expenditure requirements under the NEDE scheme leaving no expenditure shortfall to be made up in 2025-26.
