July 2002

Older Victorians a valuable audience

The entertainment industry can open up new territories in audience share if it becomes open to the interests and expectations of older people, says Minister for Senior Victorians Christine Campbell.

Releasing a research document on older people at the launch of the Government’s new Office of Senior Victorians, Ms Campbell said changing demographics meant that older people were fast becoming a powerful force that could not be ignored.

Ms Campbell said the value of older Victorians should not be underestimated.

‘We intend to make this the age to be—the age to be valued, the age to be involved, the age to be productive, the age to be active and the age to be consumer-wise.’

The research document, Who’s Watching You Tonight—Australia’s New Audience and How To Capture It spelled out the value of older people as an audience.

The report also called on the entertainment industry and the media to broaden their range of images of older people.

‘Older viewers are a huge, but largely untapped audience.

‘Our research shows the over-55s account for 21 per cent of Australia's population but head up households that own 39 per cent of the nation's financial assets and account for 25 per cent of all disposable income.

‘The role of the new Office of Senior Victorians will be to ensure that all Victorians, not just the entertainment industry, realise the enormous value which older people bring to our State.’

The Office also would provide a major focus on changing community attitudes to ageing through the presentation of positive, optimistic and realistic images of what it means to be an older person today.

‘Most older Australians enjoy healthy, active and independent lives,’ Ms Campbell said.

‘Some 93 per cent of people aged over 60 live in private homes.

‘Only seven per cent are in residential care and community attitudes need to broaden so that they reflect these realities.

‘The Office of Senior Victorians will be an important mechanism for stimulating and co-ordinating the Government’s efforts for older people.

‘Its broad role will be to develop positive ageing programs and promote issues that are important to senior Victorians, with a co-ordinated, whole-of-Government response.’

Ms Campbell was joined at the launch of the Office of Older Victorians by a roll-call of icons of the Australian entertainment industry.

They included Terry Norris, Julia Blake, Bud Tingwell, Val Jellay, Elspeth Ballantyne and Gerard Kennedy.