Other sources of data on video and online audiences

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

Data on audiences and interactive media

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is Australia’s official national statistical agency.

A wide range of information can be accessed through the ABS website free of charge, including census data, reports from one-off and ongoing surveys and time-series spreadsheets. Most of the publications are identified by a catalogue number.

Unpublished data may also be accessed, for a charge, from the ABS.

Screen Australia and its predecessor, the Australian Film Commission, previously compiled time-series benchmarks using ABS data. Links to this historical data in the Screen Australia website archive are provided below. The figures should be used with caution as methodologies may have changed and revisions may have occurred.

Internet Activity (cat. no. 8153.0): The Internet Activity publication surveys Internet service providers (ISPs) and includes information on Internet subscribers and their type of connection, the type of user (business/household), the volume of data downloaded, the speed of the Internet connection and the location of the subscriber (by state or territory). Starting in 2000, the frequency of this publication has varied over time; it has been published half-yearly (December and June) since 2007.
Access the full report on the ABS website, including explanatory notes and current, future and previous releases

Household Use of Information Technology, Australia (cat. no. 8146.0): The Household Use of Information Technology publication includes information on household computer, Internet and mobile phone use (by age and state and territories), type of access and international comparisons. This report on the household use of information technology has been published annually since 1996.
Access the full report on ABS website, including explanatory notes and current, future and previous releases

Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities, Australia (cat. no. 4901.0):  The statistics in this publication are compiled from data collected in the Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities Survey, a supplement to the Monthly Labour Force Survey.

The major aim of the survey is to identify characteristics of children who participate in organised sport, cultural activities, and selected activities undertaken for recreation and leisure, and to monitor the use of information technology by children. The focus on activities outside of school hours is to elicit information on activities that are more likely to be undertaken by children by choice rather than those that are part of the school curriculum.

Starting in 2000, it has been published every three years. Screen Australia published selected data from reports in 2006, 2003 and 2000. See People and businesses > Audience trends > In the archive.

Access the full report on the ABS website, including explanatory notes and current, previous and future release.

Australian Home Entertainment Distributors Association

Data on video sales 

The Australian Home Entertainment Distributors Association (AHEDA) – previously known as the Australian Visual Software Distributors Association (AVSDA) – represents wholesale distributors of video product, including VHS, DVD and Blu-ray.

A range of information can be accessed on the AHEDA website, including wholesale sales statistics to the rental and retail markets.

Screen Australia and its predecessor, the Australian Film Commission, previously compiled time-series benchmarks using data from AVSDA. Links to this historical data in the Screen Australia website archive are provided In the archive. The figures should be used with caution as methodologies may have changed and revisions may have occurred.

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

Data on audiences and interactive media

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is a statutory authority within the Federal Government, responsible for the regulation of broadcasting, the internet, radio communications and telecommunications. It was established on 1 July 2005 by the merger of the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) and the Australian Communications Authority.

A range of publications, reports and policy documents can be accessed on the ACMA website.

Screen Australia and its predecessor, the Australian Film Commission, previously compiled time-series benchmarks using data from ACMA. Links to this historical data in the Screen Australia website archive are provided In the archive. The figures should be used with caution as methodologies may have changed and revisions may have occurred.

Communications Report: Published each year since 2005–06, this report provides an overview of the communications industry’s performance along with key statistics.

The Communications Report 2012–13 on ACMA website.

Classification website

Data on video and interactive media

A range of information relating to classification can be accessed through the Australian Government’s Classification website.

This includes material from the Classification Board, a statutory authority within the Federal Government that is responsible for the classification of all film and computer games before they are made legally available to the public – a role previously performed by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC).

Screen Australia and its predecessor, the Australian Film Commission, previously compiled time-series benchmarks using the Classification Board and OFLC data. Links to the historical data are provided In the archive. The figures should be used with caution as methodologies may have changed and revisions may have occurred.

Classification Board Annual Report: Information about the numbers of videos and interactive games titles submitted for classification can be sourced from the annual reports of the Classification Board and the Classification Review Board.
Access annual reports on Classification website.