The Streaming Arms Race ORIGINAL VOD PROGRAMMING IN AUSTRALIA
When Netflix launched in Australia in March 2015, it was an exciting time. After years of being denied the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, we had a Netflix of our own – and with it came the promise of original programming. For years, the streaming giant has been disrupting the television and film industries with its ‘binge’ model of making every episode of a show available at the same time. Following the release of its first series, House of Cards, in 2013, it has built an empire of original series and films. With Netflix having a sizeable budget (now estimated at US$6 billion ) to spend on original programming as part of its rapid expansion globally, surely – like many other countries – Australia would have a Netflix original series of our own? Despite there being plenty of offerings from other networks, though, Netflix’s launch did not include a local production with the ‘Netflix original’ badge.
Yet, on that day, a warning shot was fired across our screen industries. Netflix may have kept its billion-dollar plans for Australia a secret, but it would only be a matter of time before the giant – and its SVOD counterparts – would wake and give subscribers a reason to forgo free-to-air, and possibly even an excuse to
