Boy Swallows Universe Dominates Logies as Streaming Concerns Emerge
The 2024 Logie Awards saw the Netflix adaptation of *Boy Swallows Universe
take home a slew of awards, demonstrating the growing dominance of streaming services in Australian drama. The series, which missed out on only one nominated category, saw its actors competing for accolades almost exclusively against each other.
This dominance reflects the financial power of streaming platforms. According to Screen Australia's Drama Report 22-23, streaming services combined spent a staggering £119 million on 19 shows, dwarfing traditional broadcasters.
However, this dominance raises concerns about the future of Australian content. Streaming platforms lack a legal obligation to produce local content, and they rarely commit to long-term series, often adapting existing books or stories, limiting them to one-off miniseries. This raises questions about the space for original Australian screenwriting, character development, and building lasting audiences.
Despite global success, shows like *Wellmania*, which topped international charts, were not renewed. This highlights the precarious nature of streaming productions, even when commercially successful.
While the high-quality productions like *Boy Swallows Universe
are commendable, a long-term investment commitment from streamers is crucial to ensure the sustainability of Australian drama.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) remains a key player in the local drama landscape, investing £28 million on 23 shows in 2022-23. Combined with the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), this represents a total investment of £32 million.
However, this investment is insufficient to counter the dominance of streaming platforms. It is imperative that the Australian government, as originally planned, introduces content quotas for streaming services, ensuring a diverse and thriving local drama landscape. This will ensure that Australia continues to produce high-quality, original content that resonates both domestically and internationally.
