Queer Stories in Australian TV drama Production Culture, Policy, and Distribution

Introduction: Queer stories in Australian TV drama 1. The political-economic shifts impacting queer stories in Australian TV drama 2. How development and commissioning processes changed for queer stories in Australian TV drama 3. Queer authorship in Australian TV writers’ rooms 4. How phases of production contributed to more diverse queer stories 5. The impact of distribution and changes to what, where, and when queer stories were told. Conclusion: Queer television futures

Biography

Damien John O’Meara is a lecturer in public relations at RMIT University, researching communication, brand and visibility in creative industries. He examines how creative workers and media institutions construct and negotiate identity, create value, define and reach audiences.

Damien O’Meara provides a timely and engaging study of the rise of queer stories on Australian television during a transformational period coinciding with streaming’s ascendancy. Combining industry voices with key insights into how and why queer stories appeared on screen and what it took to get them there, Queer Stories in Australian Television Drama is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the importance of on and off screen diversity at a time of rapid social and industrial change.

Olivia Khoo, Monash University

 

This book is an integral analysis of a fundamental period in Australian television, one largely hidden in plain sight. O’Meara comes to the table with the data, the interviews and the receipts to make compelling observations about how far our modern industry has evolved with regards to representation across all facets of TV. The fact that meaningful change only happened in the industry as recently as 2011 boggles the mind, and the insight O’Meara offers up is truly eye-opening. This is an important record not just for us queers, but for everyone.

Mitch McTaggart, Television writer/producer (The Last Year of Television; The Back Side of Television)