New Deloitte Access Economics report finds commercial television is a ‘shared civic space’ in Australia — that can unite communities, underpin democracy, and contributes $2.4 billion to the economy
- Almost four in five Australians (78 per cent) say commercial TV creates shared experiences across their communities
- Eight in ten Australians (80 per cent) say commercial TV delivers reliable, trustworthy information
- Commercial TV is trusted by 87 per cent of Australians — ahead of social media, generative AI news content, and most other news sources
In an era of increasing media fragmentation and digital disruption, a new report by Deloitte Access Economics confirms that commercial television continues to play an essential role in Australia’s social and economic fabric. The report is being launched at a Free TV event at Parliament House this morning, attended by network stars, CEOs and politicians.
The report, Towards a More United Nation: The economic and social benefits of commercial television, highlights that while Australia’s media landscape undergoes rapid change, commercial TV remains a cornerstone of the nation’s democratic health and social connection at a time when trust in information is under pressure.
These findings underscore commercial TV’s distinctive role in bringing Australians together and keeping them informed, at a time when trust in both traditional and digital media is under increasing scrutiny.
The report also confirms commercial TV’s economic contribution of $2.4 billion to GDP and supporting 15,600 full-time equivalent jobs across the economy in 2024-25, alongside $15.6 billion invested in Australian content over a decade.
Free TV Australia CEO Bridget Fair said the findings put hard numbers behind something the industry has always known.
“This report puts hard numbers behind something we’ve always known – free television is cultural infrastructure for this country,” Ms Fair said. “It gives Australians shared stories, shared facts and shared values. But commercial television cannot be taken for granted. Its continued availability depends on decisive action now – a policy framework that addresses competition failure in ad tech, protects Australian content from AI theft, and keeps free, universal access to the moments that matter for every Australian, no matter where they live or how they watch TV.”
Social cohesion researcher Dr Rebecca Huntley, who contributed to the report and spoke at today’s launch, warned of what is lost as media consumption fragments.
“As audiences become more segmented, there’s a real risk that people lose those shared points of reference, and with that, some of the informal glue that holds communities together,” Dr Huntley said.
“Commercial television continues to provide a unique ‘shared civic space.’ By making Australian stories, local responses, and significant national events visible at scale, it provides common points of reference that connect Australians across communities, generations, and backgrounds.”
Free TV services are under growing competitive pressure from global digital platforms and AI, a challenge felt most acutely in regional Australia, where commercial television remains for many communities the only source of local TV news and emergency information. Free TV Australia is calling on Government to act on the three-point policy agenda outlined above to secure the industry’s future.
The full list of findings from the Deloitte report is attached, covering commercial TV’s role in social cohesion and democracy, its economic contribution, its investment in Australian stories and sport, its distinctive place in the media market, and its role connecting regional Australia.
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View a copy of the PDF here