Jasmine Directory

Australia has a long history when it comes to cinema, given the fact that the first feature-length film in the world was shot here in 1906. The movie was The Story of the Kelly Gang, written and directed by Charles Tait. Its narrative is based on the Arnold Denham play – The Kelly Gang.

But this short-lived success would come to near extinction after World War I, when the US monopolized the world’s cinematic industry. With more than 95% of movies shot in Australia being produced in Hollywood, the country experienced a drought in the industry. Not only that, but during 1959 and 1969 not a single all-Australian movie had been shot in the country.  The 1970s brought the much needed change in this direction, with a lot of success movies being filmed and distributed here.

Among these, there are notable titles like Picnic at Hanging Rock, Breaker Morant, The Adventures of Barry McKenzie and Alvin Purple. More recent movies which scored high internationally were Mad Max, Gallipoli, Shine and Rabbit-Proof Fence. Well-know and renowned Australian actors like Hugh Jackman, the late Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, Eroll Flynn and Judith Anderson have brought Australia’s cinematographic scene back into worldwide focus.

In terms of newspapers and media outlets, Australia holds two major broadcasting services – the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Special Broadcasting Service. Each major city in the country holds at least one of its own daily newspapers, while country-wide or national daily newspapers are just two: The Australian and The Australian Financial Review.

News Corporation and Fairfax media hold the majority of Australia’s print media outlets which, in turn, has ranked the country on the 18th position in terms of press freedom, according to the Reporters Without Borders ranking system. Even though monopolization holds a certain impact on diversity, there are numerous public television programs and radio stations spread across the country.