Why the big streamers failed at the Logies and what it means for Aussie TV
Mostly, that's correct. We do love the ABC – however much we like to complain about it – and its domination of the Logies, with 11 awards, including five for Kitty Flanagan 's terrific comedy Fisk, is a definite win for our public broadcaster.
The ABC is the only free-to-air station providing a regular home for locally made dramas and comedy (honourable mention: SBS) and that should be celebrated, particularly in the face of a dramatic drop in locally made productions.
But does the ABC's dominance mean we have turned our back on the flashy streamers? How else can you explain that Netflix, the most nominated streamer, won only one award (best miniseries or telemovie for Apple Cider Vinegar)?
That's where it gets tricky. Netflix is the most popular paid streaming service in Australia, with an estimated 6.2 million subscribers. But over its 10 years in operation here, it has produced only a handful of local dramas, including three of the shows nominated last night: Apple Cider Vinegar, Territory and Heartbreak High.
And while those dramas all feature high-profile talent, how many of us are actually watching those Australian dramas on Netflix? For the purposes of voting in the Logies, we don't really know as, unlike the ABC and the other free-to-air broadcasters, the streamers are unwilling to provide concrete ratings data.
And when ratings data makes up 20 per cent of the Logies vote – along with 50 per cent for the popular vote and 30 per cent for the expert vote – the streamers are automatically kneecapped.
But, wait, there's more! If you look at the results, it also shows us that yes, while shows such as Territory, for example, were disadvantaged from the beginning, it seems the audience didn't show up and vote for it, either, despite Netflix trumpeting its worldwide success.
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