Household spending on the arts and entertainment

Data recently released from Australian Bureau of Statistics 2003/04 survey of household expenditure show expenditure on almost all aspects of film, television and interactive digital media has increased since the last survey in 1998/99.

Total expenditure by all households has increased since 1998/99 in all arts and entertainment categories except for CDs, records and tapes. Categories related to film, television and interactive digital media recorded the greatest increases. Among these categories the biggest growth area was subscription TV fees which quadrupled over the period, its ranking jumping from 16 to 6. Expenditure more than tripled on both online charges and purchases of video cassettes/video discs (blank and pre-recorded).

The only decrease in total spending over the period was on CDs, records and tapes, which fell by 13 per cent, with its ranking dropping from 5 to 10.

In terms of its relationship to household spending overall, most of the expenditure on arts, entertainment and related items is included in the 'Recreation' category, which comprised around 12–13 per cent of total house-hold expenditure in 2003/04and was the fourth-largest category of household spending in each of the four survey years. Between 1998/99 and 2003/04 average weekly spending in this category increased by 27 per cent, slightly more than the overall increase in goods and services expenditure (26 per cent).