According to new study, there will be a $7.5 billion real income impact, $1 billion in export earnings, and a 33% rise in interest in visiting Australia.
Home and Away is Australia’s most popular drama series, and new study commissioned by Seven West Media (SWM) has shed light on the show’s significant economic and worldwide impact.
SWM Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Warburton, released the independent research by premier economics company ACIL Allen today during a Committee for Economic Development of Australia presentation on the current health and future of the Australian free-to-air television sector.
Mr Warburton said:
“Home and Away has been at the heart of Australia for the past 34 years and this report captures, for the first time, the show’s significant impact on the Australian economy, our television landscape, our society and Australia’s international reputation.”
Over three decades, the show’s impact on the Australian economy, cultural landscape, tourism, and creative sectors has been documented by ACIL Allen’s Economic and Global Impact of Home and Away report.
Since its inception in 1988, Home and Away has employed between 1,500 and 2,000 individuals per year in front of and behind the camera, whether for a week or decades, and has generated a total of 12,890 full-time equivalent direct and indirect jobs in Australia.
The analysis forecasts that between 1988 and 2021, Home and Away enhanced Australia’s real income by $7.5 billion, or an average of $221 million each year, due to the economic impact and flow-on impacts to related industries.
According to the study, Home and Away brought in an additional $1 billion in export earnings, making it one among Australia’s most successful media exports.
The report also highlights the beneficial impact Home and Away has had on Australia’s image, highlighting how the show has boosted interest from both domestic and international tourists.
In a poll of current and former viewers in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand, 33% stated Home and Away made them want to visit Australia.
Ireland was the most influenced, with 38% of viewers admitting that watching Home and Away enhanced their desire to visit Australia. The show had a favourable impact on 36 percent of UK viewers, while 19 percent of New Zealand viewers claimed it was a factor in their desire to visit Australia.
Mr Warburton said:
“We don’t simply make Home and Away because we have to as part of our local content obligations. Good Australian content has far-reaching impact beyond the number of people who watch it each day. It enriches the social fabric of Australia. It informs voters. It holds the powerful to account. It tells stories. It provides employment. It promotes Australian tourism.
“The independent research by ACIL Allen highlights the critical importance free-to-air television plays in entertaining audiences and shaping our national identity. Over more than three decades, Home and Away has evolved, broken new ground and brought captivating stories to millions. It is truly a national institution and our superstar cast and crew are among the hardest working in the industry.”
ACIL Allen Director Jerome Fahrer said
“Home and Away’s economic contribution is magnified because it is exported to so many countries. This is not just because the flow-on impacts to the economy are generally bigger with exports, but also because Home and Away attracts international tourists.”
Home and Away is Australia’s second-longest-running drama series, with millions of fans throughout the world. Over the previous five years, the programme has been screened in numerous languages and marketed in 145 countries, with an average daily total television audience of over 1.1 million people in Australia.
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