Australia’s top unscripted buyers have lifted the lid on what actually gets a show over the line, and it is less about the slot and more about the idea.
During yesterday’s session, Unscripted Originals: Who is Greenlighting in 2026?, at Screen Forever on the Gold Coast, commissioners from Nine, Paramount, ABC and Foxtel mapped out a market where original IP is rising, budgets are tighter, and only the sharpest pitches cut through.
Moderated by Joseph Maxwell from SBS, the panel brought together Adrian Swift (Nine and Stan), Sarah Thornton (Paramount Australia), Susie Jones (ABC) and Howard Myers-Rifai (Foxtel Group) to unpack what they are buying and why.
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Adrian Swift, Head of Content Production and Development at Nine, said the economics of broadcast are tightening, with fewer open slots and stronger competition from returning hits.
“The revenue streams are under immense pressure for broadcast television. It’s just the truth of it.”
He pointed to a growing focus on streaming first ideas, with Stan leaning into series driven IP that can scale globally, while still leaving room for big local formats that anchor Nine’s schedule.
Sarah Thornton, Head of Unscripted at Paramount Australia, said the network is actively chasing original ideas, particularly those that can sit around established franchises or travel across platforms.
She noted the reality of limited prime time space, with lightly formatted factual and entertainment concepts more likely to find a home.
Adrian Swift (Nine), Howard Myers-Rifai (Foxtel) and Susie Jones (ABC) at Screen Forever 40 on the Gold Coast (image – Rob McKnight)
At the ABC, Susie Jones said the broadcaster is doubling down on Australian stories, pushing further into local IP across documentaries, factual and specialist programming.
“Most of our slate is original Australian IP… we want to focus on Australian IP and do more of it.”
Foxtel’s Howard Myers-Rifai emphasised the importance of thinking beyond timeslots and focusing on how a project fits within a broader content ecosystem, urging producers to study platforms closely before pitching.
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Across the panel, one message was clear: strong ideas still matter, but execution, talent and marketability are now just as critical. Concepts need to be promotable, distinctive and, increasingly, financially viable through partnerships or co funding models.
While one off documentaries still have a place, most agreed they are harder to market and less likely to cut through unless they bring a built in audience hook or major cultural relevance.
Screen Forever 40 wraps today on the Gold Coast, with the conference set to culminate tonight at the SPA Awards celebrating the best of the local production industry.
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