About the archived audience data

The Australian Bureau of Statistics conducted national surveys of household expenditure in 1988/89, 1993/94, 1998/99 and 2003/04 based on detailed expenditure records from a large sample of Australian households. The data can be looked at in three different ways: as total expenditure by all households, average expenditure per household and average expenditure per person. Many of the categories relating to film, television and interactive digital media are available in greater detail for the first time 2003/04.

A note on multimedia and CDs: Expenditure on audio CDs is recorded in the category ‘CDs and records’, while expenditure on computer CDs is recorded in the category ‘Home computer equipment, software and TV games’. It is not possible from the survey to identify household expenditure solely devoted to multimedia. The ‘Home computer equipment, software and TV games’ and ‘Online charges’ categories include not only multimedia but other items as well. Other relevant categories include ‘Television, radio and stereo equipment’, ‘Photographic equipment’ and ‘Musical instruments and accessories’.