Free TV Australia says a new Deloitte report has found 87% of Australians trust commercial television, despite a rapidly changing media landscape.
Commercial television continues to command high levels of trust among Australians, with a new report finding it remains a source of reliable information and shared experiences as audiences increasingly spread their viewing across different platforms.
The report, Towards a More United Nation: The economic and social benefits of commercial television, was prepared by Deloitte Access Economics and commissioned by Free TV Australia, the peak industry body representing Australia’s commercial television broadcasters.
Its findings show 87% of Australians consider commercial television very or moderately trustworthy, while 80% agree it delivers reliable and trustworthy information.
That trust extends beyond information, with 78% of Australians saying commercial television creates shared experiences across their communities.
A further 70% believe commercial television contributes positively to community connection, while 69% agree it brings people from different backgrounds together.
A shared television experience
The findings come as audiences have more choice than ever, with streaming services, social media, digital platforms and generative AI providing alternatives to traditional television.
Social cohesion researcher Dr Rebecca Huntley (pictured above), who contributed to the report, said increasing fragmentation could result in Australians losing some of the shared reference points traditionally provided by television.
“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,” Huntley said.
The report describes commercial television as a “shared civic space”, pointing to the role of Australian stories, local responses and major national events in connecting audiences across different communities and generations.
The research also found 91% of Australians agree commercial TV is accessible and easy to use, while 78% see value in an Australian-owned and regulated broadcast sector.
The economic contribution
Alongside its findings on trust and social connection, the Deloitte report estimates commercial television contributed $2.4 billion to Australia’s GDP in 2024–25.
The sector supported 15,600 full-time equivalent jobs across the economy, with every network FTE job supporting a further 2.2 FTE roles.
Commercial television has also invested $15.6 billion in Australian content over the past decade, while metropolitan broadcasters aired more than 25,300 hours of Australian content during 2024.
The report also highlights the industry’s changing business model, with commercial television’s BVOD revenue increasing by 61% between 2021 and 2025 as traditional broadcast revenue declined.
Regional audiences remain a focus
Regional Australia features prominently in the report, with 65% of regional Australians agreeing that commercial television spotlights regional communities.
The report also found 15% of direct full-time equivalent roles in commercial television are based in the regions.
Free TV says commercial television remains particularly important in regional communities, where it can provide local news and emergency information.
The organisation is using the report to argue that commercial television faces growing pressure from global digital platforms and artificial intelligence, and is calling on the Federal Government to address what it describes as competition issues in ad tech, protection of Australian content from AI and continued free access to television services.
Free TV calls for action
Free TV Australia CEO Bridget Fair (pictured above) said the findings demonstrated the broader role commercial television continues to play in Australian life.
“This report puts hard numbers behind something we’ve always known – free television is cultural infrastructure for this country,” Fair said.
Fair also warned that commercial television’s position could not be taken for granted, arguing that changes to policy were needed to protect its future.
The report was launched at a Free TV Australia event at Parliament House, attended by commercial television network executives, television personalities and politicians.
While the research was conducted by Deloitte Access Economics, it was commissioned by Free TV Australia, which represents the commercial television industry and regularly advocates to government on issues affecting its members.
The findings therefore form part of a broader industry case being put forward by Free TV as commercial broadcasters seek policy changes in response to the changing media and advertising landscape.
The full report, Towards a More United Nation: The economic and social benefits of commercial television, examines commercial television’s economic contribution, investment in Australian stories and sport, role in regional communities and contribution to social cohesion and democracy.
The full report can be viewed HERE.
