Total value of trade in royalties arising from imports and exports of cinema films, TV content and video, 1991/92–2005/06

Data on trade in royalties arising from imports and exports of cinema films, TV content and video (DVD and VHS), are collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Since 1991/92, Australia has recorded an annual deficit in audiovisual trade, apart from one year: in 2000/01, audiovisual royalties earned by SOCOG (the Sydney Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) contributed more than $1 billion to the balance of trade, creating Australia’s first ever audiovisual trade surplus ($552 million).

Sales of TV content account for the majority of audiovisual export royalty earnings, growing from 45 per cent in 1992/93 to 95 per cent in 2005/06, while cinema films’ share has dropped from 33 per cent to 4 per cent. Video’s share has also fallen.

Imports have been more consistent, with television’s share of royalty payments ranging between 56 and 71 per cent over the period, cinema from 9 to 22 per cent and video from 17 to 27 per cent.

The Australian Film Commission has analysed unpublished ABS data (1991/92–2004/05) to estimate the value of trade with various international partners. Approximately 20 per cent of audiovisual export royalties are earned from sales to the UK, which have been strengthening in recent years. In 2004/05, export royalties earned from sales to the UK totalled $49 million, with imports totalling $52 million. Continuing to fall since 1998/99, the deficit of $3 million is the lowest on record.

Estimated export earnings from the US were stronger during the 1990s, accounting for around a third of total earnings and dropping to approximately 14 per cent of total earnings since then. US imports averaged 65 per cent of total payments. Imports of US content rose significantly in 1997/98, coinciding with extra content needed for subscription television in Australia, and have remained strong since then, peaking at $572 million in 2004/05.

Around 50 per cent of audiovisual export royalties are earned from sales to countries other than the US and the UK, while payments to these countries account for around 20 per cent of total audiovisual imports.

Total value of trade in royalties arising from imports and exports of cinema films, TV content and video¹

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Balance of Payments and International Investment Position; includes some Australian Film Commission estimates of unpublished data.
Data revised by the ABS December 2006: 2000/01 export figures as reported by the ABS at June 2006.

Notes:
1. The figure for export royalties in 2000/01 is particularly high due audiovisual royalties earned by SOCOG (the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games).