Screen Currency 2026

Framework

Screen Currency 2026 Value Framework

Insight reports

Insights overview
Audience insights
Industry insights
Economic insights
Global insights

What is the framework?

Screen Currency’s Value Framework shows how contemporary local screen content and games are being made, how audiences engage with them and how they are received.

Drawn from Screen Currency’s research, the framework highlights the relationships between these activities as it outlines the forms of value they generate for Australians as audiences, communities, consumers and citizens.

Click each segment to learn more.

How screen and games value is created and realised

Screen and games are unique, they offer a range of forms of value that are crystallised – and monetised – in creative IP and individual or collective engagement. The ways this value is being exploited, and who controls it, has changed substantially over the past decade. Global media and content industries are shaped by markets, business consolidation and technological developments that are increasingly determining what gets made and how audiences access it.

What Australians value in local screen and games content

Australian screen audiences value local stories for their authenticity in reflecting familiar places, accents and lived experience on screen, their ability to represent Australian diversity and to address real issues and perspectives that are socially and geographically relevant. Australian video game players were less concerned about where games were made, but felt proud when they discovered well-made games were Australian.

What audiences are doing

While audiences are increasingly fragmented across platforms and personalised programming, they still gather in various ways, at various scales, around content. Our audience study showed viewing behaviour across a wide range of content platforms, most differentiated by generation. Video game play is now a hugely popular form of cultural participation for Australians of all backgrounds and generations. Engagement is both individual and social, often leading to social action or connection.

What’s driving audiences

Many respondents to the audience survey cited relaxation and entertainment as the main drivers for what to watch and for game play. The kinds of content considered relaxing or entertaining varies across groups and generations, and is accompanied by a range of other drivers, including to learn new things or stay informed, as a shared experience with family or friends, to deal with stress, anxiety or depression, or to improve wellbeing and general happiness.

What content is getting made

While overall production investment has increased, market concentration and regulation changes have had a huge impact on the ability to finance TV and film/screen projects and find pathways to market, especially for some kinds of content, e.g. streaming services are now the main commissioners for TV drama, favouring bigger budget projects with global appeal; children’s TV has now disappeared from commercial free-to-air television; and small indie games developers make great content but have limited control of how it is positioned on platforms.

Who’s making local screen and games content

Australia’s screen and games industries are made up of a highly skilled workforce, clustered in smaller production companies and indie games studios, where their work is increasingly precarious – often involving holding multiple jobs. The ability for smaller companies to realise the value in the IP they create has been challenged by new deal terms in the global digital marketplace.

What supports content creation

The screen and games industries receive meaningful public support through federal and state incentives and investments, including content funding, programs, workforce training, industry development, infrastructure and tax offsets, alongside local content requirements on broadcasters and streaming services. Together these are designed to sustain production activity and the creation and distribution of Australian stories.

Economic impact and spillovers

Screen and games contribute to the economy, exports, employment, skills, tourism, trade and innovation. The process of creation and production can also build new capabilities and opportunities, contribute to Australia’s complexity economy and support a range of public goods that benefit Australian communities – as a unique cultural resource.

Global impacts of local screen and games content

Screen stories and games carry unique soft power. They help form the way global audiences think and feel about a place and its people, and shape how much cultural affinity and connection viewers feel towards another country. The cultural affinity generated by global engagement with screen stories can translate into increased tourism and trade. Successful Australian screen and games profile Australia as a creative nation.

Screen Currency’s research confirms that stories – and story worlds – are powerful. Our audience report reveals that creative and culturally resonant stories and cultural experiences can transform, challenge or affirm, and offer a range of forms of value. The case studies describe how substantial value can be generated through activity across the whole value chain, including through skills development and transfer, innovation and location-based economic spillovers. The case studies evidence how unique forms of value and appeal are produced through the way programs are made – part of what makes them special, authentic and resonant.

Screen

Screen Currency’s industry study shows how high-value screen IP relies on a range of diverse, skilled and resourced businesses of different scales creating and contributing to stories that are both high-quality and culturally resonant. In a sector where costs are incurred upfront, creative projects must navigate through the value chain to build finance required for production and pathways to audiences. The industry study explores how the concentration of distribution, a global dynamic rather than an Australian one, has made it harder for smaller producers to secure and exploit the value in the IP they generate. Despite lower barriers to entry and a profusion of access points for audiences, the industry study provides evidence that sustaining a screen business is increasingly difficult, particularly for newer and smaller players

Games

Our industry report describes the Australian games sector as inherently global. Less traditionally reliant on government incentives and regulation, Australian games businesses have long focused on global distribution platforms and marketing to achieve commercial sustainability and success. Games studios consulted through the industry study reported that IP retention is achievable but uneven, with outcomes shaped by project finance structures, deal terms and a developer’s ability to secure publishing relationships. Among games businesses, self-publishing and client service work are the two most common primary pathways to market, albeit reflecting different outcomes: independent distribution and self-publishing enables companies to retain and commercialise their own IP, whereas client delivered work tends to be fee-for-service in which the developers relinquish IP.

Across screen and games, global media and content industries are increasingly shaped by market concentration, business consolidation and technological change. These forces play a growing role in determining what content is made, how it reaches audiences and how value is captured and sustained.

For greater depth, see:
Case Studies

84% agree it’s important for Australians to have access to local screen content
77% agree well‑made screen content makes them feel proud to be Australian
73% agree local screen content is as well‑made as international content

Screen

Screen Currency’s research shows that Australians value local screen content for its authenticity, cultural resonance and quality. The great majority of respondents to the Australian screen audiences survey (84%) agree it is important that Australians have access to local screen stories.

However, this strong support does not always translate into viewing behaviour. Almost two‑thirds of audiences (65%) watch less than 30% Australian content across their media diet (excluding news and sport), and more than a quarter (29%) watch less than 10%. The research highlights that engagement alone does not capture the full value Australians place on local content.

Importantly, Australians also recognise “non‑use” value. This includes valuing the existence of local stories, having the choice to access them, and recognising the benefits they provide to others, including children and future generations, even when individuals do not consume that content themselves.

Games

In games, the landscape is more globally oriented. Distribution platforms and player communities have long been international, and country of origin is not a key factor shaping what players choose to play. Screen Currency’s research found that only around half of players could identify high‑profile Australian games as locally made, and 60% were unsure whether they play Australian games at all.

However, when players do know that a high‑quality game is Australian, this knowledge is seen as a positive “value add”. Players express pride in local creative capability and strong support for the continued development of the Australian games industry, even when this support does not directly shape their immediate play choices.

For greater depth, see:
Audience insights
For overall Screen Currency findings, see:
Insights Overview

85% of Australians say screen content plays an important role in their lives
35% of Australians watch more than 30% local screen content
75% are interested in viewing more Australian screen content
78% of Australian’s have played a video game in the past six months

Screen

Screen Currency’s audience research shows that Australians continue to engage deeply with screen content, even as viewing becomes more personalised and spread across a wide range of platforms. While audiences no longer gather around content in the same mass, simultaneous ways, they continue to connect with screen stories at different scales and in different contexts. Viewing behaviour varies most strongly by age and life stage, with less variation by gender or location.

Almost two‑thirds of Australians (65%) spend less than 30% of their viewing time watching Australian content (excluding news and sport), and more than a quarter (29%) spend less than 10%. This gap between strong support for local content and actual viewing reflects the dynamics of a global marketplace, fragmented platforms and ongoing challenges around discoverability in an environment where country of origin is rarely a deciding factor. First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse audiences are more likely to report watching higher levels of Australian content, while older audiences are more likely to seek it out deliberately.

Games

Video game play is a mainstream form of cultural participation in Australia. Screen Currency’s research shows that more than three in four Australians (78%) have played a video game in the past six months, reflecting the broad reach of games across age groups and life stages. Participation spans different forms of play and levels of engagement, with many Australians incorporating games into everyday routines.

For video game players in the Screen Currency research, the country of origin of games is not a strong driver of choice. Only 13% of players said they play Australian games, while 60% were unsure whether the games they play are Australian at all. However, when players do know that a high‑quality game is Australian, this knowledge is experienced as a positive “value add”. Players express pride in local creative capability and strong support for the continued development of the Australian games industry, even when this does not directly shape their immediate play choices.

For greater detail, see:
Audience Insights
For overall Screen Currency findings, see:
Insights Overview

72% are watching for relaxation, 69% watch for entertainment, 36% watch to learn new things or stay informed
36% say it is easy to find local screen content
87% play games to have fun, 76% play to pass the time, 72% play to de-stress

Screen

Relaxation and entertainment are the primary drivers of what Australians choose to watch. In the Australian screen audiences survey, 72% of respondents cited relaxation and 69% cited entertainment as their main motivations. Audience forums highlighted that what people find relaxing or entertaining is highly personal, and varies significantly across generations, life stages and preferences.

These are not audiences’ only motivations. Among engaged viewers, including those participating in online reviews and forums, the research found that audiences also seek cultural understanding, historical insight and connection with others and their communities. These richer forms of engagement tend to emerge through content people already enjoy, rather than replacing entertainment as the initial driver. In this sense, entertainment and relaxation act as a gateway to broader cultural and social value.

Discoverability shapes how audiences encounter screen content. Only 36% of respondents to the Australian screen audiences survey said they find it easy to find Australian content, despite interest in watching more. Audiences described platform interfaces as playing an important role in what they come across, with discovery often influenced by recommendations, advertising and social cues.

Games

For video game players, enjoyment and flexibility are the strongest drivers of engagement. The overwhelming majority of players reported playing games because they are fun (87%), with many also motivated by passing time (76%) and managing stress (72%). These motivations reflect the way games are woven into everyday routines, offering accessible and flexible forms of entertainment.

Video games players discover games through a mix of trusted sources including recommendations from friends and family, and broader channels including social media and advertising. These forms of discovery surface new titles, influence appeal and reinforce intention to play. Awareness is a barrier to engagement with Australian‑made games. Focus group participants wanted it to be easier to identify Australian video games on digital marketplaces, such as the popular shopfront Steam.

For greater depth, see:
Audience Insights
For overall Screen Currency findings, see:
Insights Overview

$3.0 billion total screen and games production expenditure in 2024/25
12.4% decrease in adult TV drama hours
42% decrease in children’s TV hours
3.7% decrease in documentary hours
43% increase in the number of Australian theatrical features
243% increase in the number of Australian theatrical documentary features

Screen

In 2024/25, drama and documentary production expenditure in Australia reached $3.0 billion, an 11.1% increase on 2023/24, driven largely by high-budget local and foreign drama. At the same time, shifts in commissioning, platforms and market dynamics have changed the mix of content being made.

Across genres, trends show declines in broadcast hours for drama and children’s content, alongside growth in feature film production. Documentary continues to be commissioned and remains an important part of the sector, particularly through public broadcasters and some commercial formats that attract substantial audiences. However, the mix of documentary output has shifted, with declines in some commissioning pathways and specialist sub‑genres compared with a decade ago. Theatrical documentary features have grown strongly, with production more than tripling since 2016, reflecting evolving financing and distribution pathways within the documentary sector.

Foreign production continues to play a significant role in overall activity. In 2024/25, foreign drama production expenditure reached $1.6 billion, highlighting Australia’s position as an attractive production location and the importance of location‑based work to industry capacity, skills and employment.

Games

Games development continues to grow, albeit from a smaller base than screen production. Screen Currency’s economics report shows that games exports have recorded average annual growth of 15.4% since 2016/17, reflecting the sector’s sustained expansion in global markets. Australian games studios typically target international audiences from the outset and rely on global platforms and storefronts to distribute and market their work.

Financing structures reflect this global orientation. Industry survey results show that 29% of games development funding comes from outside Australia, with projects commonly supported through client work, commissions and self‑funding. Public funding plays a targeted role, particularly in early‑stage development, but represents a small share of overall finance.

For greater depth, see:
Industry Insights
Economic Insights
For overall Screen Currency findings, see:
Insights Overview

68,844 people are employed across the screen and games industries
26% of the screen workforce holds multiple jobs
2.8% average annual employment growth in screen
15.1% average annual employment growth in games

Screen

Australia’s screen industry employed a total of 66,080 people in 2024/25, growing at a rate of 3.1% per year since 2016/17. Almost half (45%) of this workforce is concentrated in production and post‑production, reflecting the central role of content creation. The next largest segments are free‑to‑air television (21%) and cinema exhibition (14%), while a much smaller share is employed in distribution (3%).

The production industry recorded the highest rate of multiple job-holding in 2022/23, with 34% of workers holding multiple jobs during the year, reflecting the project-based nature of employment in the industry. Our industry survey also found that 73% of screen practitioners’ earnings are derived from the screen sector, though work is often undertaken across multiple projects and employers.

Games

The digital games industry’s workforce has grown rapidly, more than tripling since 2016/17 from a small base, to 2,764 people in 2024/25. Among games industry survey respondents, 53% of the workforce earns income from outside the games sector, spanning industries such as computer systems design, mining, financial and insurance services, and advertising. This reflects the extent to which skills associated with digital games development are highly transferable and in demand across a wide range of sectors.

For greater depth, see:
Industry Insights
Economic Insights
For overall Screen Currency findings, see:
Insights Overview

$387.6 million in federal and state government direct supports for screen in 2023/24
$742.1 million of indirect government support for screen and games in 2023/24

The rationale for supporting the local screen and games industry, reflected in more than 50 years of policy and regulatory settings, is that Australians benefit from the social, cultural and economic value it generates.

The development of local content is supported by government interventions, including federal and state investment in programs, tax offsets, workforce training, industry development, infrastructure and legislated content requirements for broadcasters and qualifying streaming services.

The Industry Insights and Economic Insights reports highlight a broad system of enabling structures. These include screen production incentives and tax offsets; infrastructure, from sound stages to the NBN; national training agencies supporting a skilled workforce; and the investments, platforms and capabilities generated by public broadcasting. They also encompass rights management frameworks, regulation and the role of screen agencies.

Government support for Australian screen and games takes multiple forms, including:

Direct funding
Tax offsets and incentives
State-based grants, investments and rules-based incentives
Regulatory frameworks
Training and skills development
Trade and export support.

For greater depth, see:
Industry Insights
Economic Insights
For overall Screen Currency findings, see:
Insights Overview

$11.1 billion total GVA contribution from screen and games sectors
$10.8 billion GVA generated by screen
$317 million GVA generated by games

Screen Currency analysis shows that activity across the screen and games value chain contributed $11.1 billion to the Australian economy in gross value added (GVA) in 2023/24.

The economic study finds that around two‑thirds (65%) of this GVA is generated by broadcasting and streaming sectors, including free‑to‑air television, subscription services and internet broadcasting. A substantial share of value in these sectors has historically been retained as gross operating surplus (GOS), reflecting their scale and capital intensity, with returns to labour increasing more recently.

In contrast, content creation sectors, including production, post‑production and digital games development, account for around 22% of total GVA. These companies are typically small and labour‑intensive, with most of the income distributed to employees as compensation of employees (COE) rather than retained as profit. This reflects the structure of the sector, where many small businesses and sole traders operate in project‑based environments and returns are closely tied to workforce capability.

The report also highlights that the value of screen and games extends beyond financial contribution. Social and cultural impacts accrue through audience engagement and broader community outcomes. Case studies demonstrate how creation and production activity can build capability across the value chain, supporting skills development, career progression and industry innovation.

The industry study further emphasises that technology and the skills required to develop, apply and adapt to it are central to the sector, underpinning both productivity gains and broader economic spillovers.

For greater depth, see:
Economic Insights
Industry Insights
For overall Screen Currency findings, see:
Insights Overview

Screen exports in 2023/24 totalled over $1.3 billion
Games exports in 2023/24 totalled over $323 million

Screen

Screen exports in 2023/24 totalled over $1.3 billion. The sectors generating the largest proportion of exports are production and post‑production (64% of total screen and games exports), followed by digital games and internet broadcasting.

Screen exports have more than doubled since the introduction of the Producer, Location and PDV Offsets, increasing by an average of 4.7% annually since 2008/09.

The Global Insights study shows that Australian screen content has strong appeal in international markets, with audiences frequently describing it as high quality, authentic and distinctive. Around half of international audiences report that Australian screen content creates a positive impression of Australia and increases their intention to visit, while a substantial proportion also report increased interest in engaging with Australia through business, trade and other connections.

Games

Games exports in 2023/24 totalled over $323 million. Australia’s digital games sector continues to outperform the broader screen sector in export growth, expanding at an average annual rate of 15.4% between 2016/17 and 2023/24.

The Global Insights report highlights that Australian games achieve strong international impact, with some titles reaching significant commercial success and global audiences. In a highly globalised market, Australian games are recognised for their creative distinctiveness and quality, contributing to international engagement and a growing export footprint.