Free for educational use
The Rise and Future of Australian Content
Year of production - 2005
Duration - 1min 14sec
Tags - audiences, culture, entertainment, identity, imperialism, media production, radio, television, television programs, see all tags
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How to Download the Video Clip
To download a free copy of this Video Clip choose from the options below. These require the free Quicktime Player.
Premium MP4 futurecontent_pr.mp4 (9.1MB).
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This interview with Megan Spencer was recorded for the website From Wireless to Web, produced in 2005.
Megan Spencer is a film critic, reporter and filmmaker. You can view her full biography at From Wireless to Web
The website is a selective history of broadcast media in Australia. Decade by decade, from radio and newsreels to TV and the internet, this history shows how the Australian broadcast media developed and shaped the way Australians see themselves.
From Wireless to Web is a Film Australia production in association with Roar Film.
Area of study 2. Media industry production
This area of study focuses on Australian, overseas and/or global issues and/or developments in the media industry and their impact on media production stages and specialist roles within these stages.
Media products are the result of collaborative and specialist production stages and roles. The degree of specialisation among production personnel may vary according to the production context.
This material is an extract. Teachers and Students should consult the Victoria Curriculum and Assessment Authority website for more information.Innovations in technology change the way messages are gathered – how they are recorded and produced – and the way they are delivered to the listener, the viewer or the user. Messages – what we hear, see, and experience of a broadcast – reflect images of ourselves, our place and our Australian way of life. As new technologies change the message, they also shape our national identity.
The Rise & Future Of Australian Content
The issue of content – of what gets broadcast – has been one of the most hotly debated issues in the history of broadcast media in Australia. From the early days of radio in the 1930s through to the 1950s and the advent of television and beyond, concerns have been raised about what people listen to on radio and watch on television. Central to this debate has been the matter of imported versus local content – programs purchased from overseas versus programs produced in Australia. The presence of Australian-made content is considered essential for a robust sense of Australian national identity.
Answer the following questions from the Video Clip Context and the video clip itself:
- How many Australian television shows do you watch in a week? Which are your favourites and why are they your favourites?
- Compare the amount of television you watch to the amount of radio you listen to. Where are the radio shows produced? What do you think is the difference between TV and radio when it comes to place of production?
- Do you prefer Australian television to international or do you have no preference? What is it about each that you like or dislike?
Go to From Wireless to Web for more about the history of broadcast media in Australia.