Foreign Ownership of Production Companies as a New Mechanism of Internationalizating Television: The Case of Australian Scripted Television

Abstract

This article explores the rise in foreign television production company ownership at the beginning of the twenty-first century as a new mechanism of internationalization. It joins mechanisms such as foreign program sales and transnational satellite channels in shifting television further from its domestic origins. To date, examination of television’s internationalization has focused on programs and programming. Foreign ownership may be a less obvious “cultural” form of business internationalization, but it nevertheless affects the television culture made available in many places and poses consequences for cultures of consumption. Foreign ownership also opens up new avenues of inquiry for global television scholars to question the shifting geographies of power in the field of television production.

Supporting children’s drama in the on demand age: Assessing the efficacy of forty years of Australian policy frameworks and funding schemes

“…Increased funding tied to children’s content would also contribute to the sustainability of the children’s production sector that at present remains without any mandated or predictable demand for its products. Proponents of contestable funds emphasise the importance of diversity of voices and providers but in medium sized television markets like Australia, the most sustainable model likely includes fewer providers with broader slates and structural connections to international companies (Lotz and Sanson, 2021). Focussing resources on the ABC would also make the commissioning of Australian children’s drama from such production houses a national rather than a global activity, by a PSB whose charter requires it to represent and reflect Australia back to all audiences, including children.…”

“…The internationalisation of Australian television caused by the popularity of streaming video services was increased by the ‘globalisation from within’ (O’Regan and Potter, 2013) of the screen production sector that peaked from 2006 to 2018 (Lotz and Sanson, 2021). Many Australian production companies were acquired by international corporations during this period, giving them competitive advantage due their access to parent company resources, market intelligence and distribution networks (Lotz and Sanson, 2021). Some independently owned companies continued to make children’s drama, including Jonathan Shiff Productions which had longstanding distribution arrangements with Germany’s ZDF Enterprises that underpinned its drama costs (Potter, 2015).…”

Uluslararası Televizyon Akışının Platformlaşması Bağlamında Avrupa’da Kamu Hizmeti Yayıncılığının Dönüşümü ve TRT

“…2000'lerde de uluslararası televizyon şirketlerine, küresel format endüstrisine, sektördeki mülkiyet yoğunlaşmasına ve son olarak da dijital platformların hâkim işleyiş ve yapılanma biçimlerine odaklanan çalışmaların büyük bir kısmında kültürel akış konusundaki yapısal eşitsizliklerin sürdüğüne ilişkin saptamanın varlığını koruduğu görülmektedir (Bkz. Chalaby, 2015;Moran, 2009;Keinonen, 2018;Ihlebaek ve Sundet, 2021;Lotz, 2021;Lotz ve Sanson, 2021). Elasmar ve Kathryn'e (2003: 13) göre, aslında yerli kültürleri yabancı televizyon içeriklerinin etkilerinden korumaya yönelik tüm tartışma ve düzenlemelerin temelinde kültürel emperyalizm iddiaları yatmaktadır.…”

“…SVoD'lar televizyon endüstrisinin uluslararasılaşmasının yeni ve daha karmaşık bir boyutunu ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Bu yeni sürecin ulusal temele dayalı olarak biçimlenen yayıncılık sistemlerinin kökenleri ve tarihsel rolleriyle çatışma halinde olması ise (Lotz ve Sanson, 2021: 2) günümüzde platformlarla ilişkilendirilen ve uluslararası program akışı konusunda ortaya çıkan yerel düzeydeki kültürel tartışma ve endişeleri anlamlandırmak açısından temel bir çıkış noktası oluşturmaktadır.…”