Australia's once-thriving children's television industry is facing collapse despite a legacy of producing Hollywood stars and shaping generations of young people.
RMIT University research published on Friday reveals the industry remains under pressure due to a significant drop in investment paired with rising production costs.
The sector has helped shape culture for decades through programs such as H2O: Just Add Water, Round the Twist, Blinky Bill, and more recently, Bluey, launched in 2018.
Lead author Jessica Balanzategui believes screen policy settings are failing to support the local stories young audiences need.
"Commercial broadcasters have retreated, streamers are not commissioning new children's programs, and public institutions are being left to carry an increasingly heavy load," she said.
The report reveals there has been a 97 per cent drop in commercial children's television investment since a 2020 decision to remove commercial quotas.
