Media release
From the Minister for Senior Victorians
Friday, 7 June 2002
OLDER AUDIENCE FORM NEW TERRITORY FOR ENTERTAINERS
The entertainment industry can open up new territories in audience share if they become open to the interests and expectations of older people, the Minister for Senior Victorians, Christine Campbell said today.
Releasing a research document on older people at the launch of the Bracks Government’s new Office of Senior Victorians, Ms Campbell said changing demographics meant that older people were fast becoming a powerful force that could not be ignored.
Making a Ministerial Statement on Older Victorians – The Age To Be – Ms Campbell said older the value of older Victorians should not be underestimated.
“We intend to make this ‘The Age To Be’ – the age to be valued, the age to be involved, the age to be productive, the age to be active, and the age to be consumer-wise,” Ms Campbell said.
The research document, Who’s Watching You Tonight – Australia’s New Audience & How To Capture It spelled out the value of older people as an audience. The report also called on the entertainment industry and the media to broaden their range of images of older people.
“Older viewers are a huge, but largely untapped audience. This report clearly defines the value of older people – not just as a diverse and dynamic audience, but also as a rich source of characters,” Ms Campbell said.
“Our research shows the over-55’s account for 21% of Australia’s population, but head up households that own 39% of the nation’s financial assets and account for 25% of all disposable income.
“They are also the most voracious viewers of TV, and watch on average 4 hours 18 minutes each day. Nevertheless, they are greatly under-represented in onscreen roles. This compares to 2 hours 39 minutes for teens and 3 hours 18 minutes for people aged 40 to 54.
“They are an affluent, growing market – a potential viewing audience of a million people - but remain largely uncharted territory for programmers and advertisers.
“The role of the new Office of Senior Victorians will be to ensure that all Victorians, not just the entertainment industry, realise the enormous value which older people bring to our State.”
The Minister said Who’s Watching You Tonight and its findings would be a valuable tool to the entertainment industry in ensuring that older people were not stereotyped or ignored in programming, casting or in developing meaningful story-lines and plots.
“The images the media and entertainment industry use to represent older people in our community clearly affect the way we feel about growing older,” Ms Campbell said.
“People of all ages want to see themselves and their lives reflected on screen in ways that are realistic and meaningful.
“I look forward to working with the Australian film and television industry and providing information which it can use as a basis for judgment and decisions about policies and programming which are both representative and democratic.”
Ms Campbell said a “round table” on an Age-Inclusive Society has been convened for July 9, and representatives of the film and TV industry will be invited to discuss images of ageing.
The Minister said the Office of Senior Victorians would provide a major focus on changing community attitudes to ageing through the presentation of positive, optimistic and realistic images of what it means to be an older person today.
“The vast majority of older Australians enjoy healthy, active and independent lives,” she said.
“Some 93 per cent of people aged over 60 live in private homes. Only 7 per cent are in residential care, and community attitudes need to broaden so that they reflect these realities.
“The Office of Senior Victorians will be an important mechanism for stimulating and co-ordinating the Bracks Government’s efforts for older people.
“Its broad role will be to develop positive ageing programs and promote issues that are important to senior Victorians, with a co-ordinated, whole-of-Government response.
“This will be a portfolio which listens to the hopes and aspirations of seniors for a different kind of age – one which recognises that older Victorians are an incredibly varied group who live their lives and contribute to their families and communities in many different ways.”
Media contact: Tim Winkler - 96515799 / 0407 688 632 www.vic.gov.au