In summary

  • New data from Swinburne researchers shows that 83 per cent of parents think it’s important that children’s content is Australian.
  • Parents seek content for their children that is relatable, educational, positive and funny in a way that reflects our culture.
  • The research reveals the importance Aussie families place on locally-made content, with Bluey the number one show among parents and kids.

New data from Swinburne researchers shows that 83 per cent of parents think it’s important that children’s content is Australian, and that this content is relatable, educational, positive and funny in a way that reflects our culture.

Days after the federal government quietly delayed plans to introduce local content requirements for major streaming platforms, citing trade issues, the research reveals the importance Aussie families place on locally-made content.

Bluey was the number one show with both younger (65 per cent) and older (39 per cent) children, and was the content that parents were most eager to co-view (60 per cent).

Swinburne Media and Communications researchers Associate Professor Liam Burke and Dr Joanna McIntyre co-led the report from the Australian Children’s Television Cultures research project, which is funded by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

The team found that parents allow children to choose most of what they watch, and this has dramatically changed since Australia’s COVID-19 lockdowns. 

“This freedom becomes particularly pronounced from age five. Younger children tend to watch ‘trusted’ ABC. Older children tend to watch Netflix and YouTube and a wider variety of genres,” Associate Professor Burke says.

Though ABC remains the top source for children’s content (93 per cent), this is very closely followed by Netflix (73 per cent), YouTube (66 per cent) and Disney+ (56 per cent). 

These streaming platforms are not bound by content quotas that help the nation’s film industry and stories to be told.

Associate Professor Burke says that how families find and watch kids TV has dramatically changed in an era of smart TVs and global streaming services. 

“This research establishes that in an often-fragmented streaming landscape, parents value clearly demarcated Australian children’s content that is safely organised in a dedicated online platform.”

“We are continuing to build on this research and hope it helps government realise how important local content is, particularly for children,” Associate Professor Burke explains. 

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