The total information, media and telecommunications (IMT) industry in Australia generated $72.8 billion in sales and service income in 2013-14, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Nearly 60% of this ($41.3 billion) is from telecommunications services (an increase of more than $300 million from the previous year). Internet related activities directly accounted for over a quarter ($19.7 billion) of this income. Internet Service Providers (ISPs), web search portals and data processing services represented the fastest growing subdivision of the industry, with sales and service income increasing 17.4% between 2012-13 and 2013-14 ($4.3 billion to $5.0 billion).
The ABS report ‘Information Media and Telecommunications Services: Australia 2013-14’ presents national estimates of employment and major economic and financial indicators for the IMT industry. Income and expenditure, performance measures, industry value added and capital expenditure are also measured as part of this publication.
"Key findings show the impact of the internet is changing business models," said the ABS’s Marie Apostolou. "Income is increasingly being generated by Internet products including online news sites, streamed media content, and Internet applications hosted in the cloud.”
Of the $14.3 billion invested in total capital expenditure by the IMT industry in 2013-14, almost 85% of this is attributed to Telecommunications services. Over half (53.7%) of total IMT capital expenditure was invested in structures, buildings and dwellings, with businesses maintaining and upgrading infrastructure and assets to keep pace with technological advancements.
"Whilst telecommunications and internet related subdivisions were growing, a different story emerged for traditional media," said Apostolou.
"The publishing subdivision experienced declining sales and service income of -7.3% (from $10.5 billion in 2012-13 to $9.7 billion in 2013-14), whilst broadcasting was flat ($9.7 billion in 2013-14)."
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As at 30 June 2014 there were approximately 165,000 people employed in the IMT industry in Australia, a fall of 2.4% on the previous 12 months. Telecommunications services accounted for the largest proportion of total people employed in the IMT industry (34.3% or 57,000 people), followed by traditional publishing (23.5% or 39,000 people).
Employment growth in the 12 months to 30 June 2014 occurred for the ISPs, web search portals and data processing services (+17.2%), telecommunications services (+4.5%) and Internet publishing and broadcasting (+4.1%)
Traditional media had large falls in employment in the 12 months to 30 June 2014, led by the publishing (except Internet and music publishing) subdivision where employment decreased by 11.5%.
IMT businesses generated $74,153 million in total income and incurred $65,901 in total expenses during 2013-14. Telecommunications services was the major contributor to the IMT industry, accounting for 55.7% of both total income and total expenses.
ISPs, web search portals and data processing services was the fastest growing area, with sales and service income increasing by 17.4% to $5,015 million in 2013-14.
Total capital expenditure for the IMT industry in 2013-14 was $14,323 million, an increase of 29.6% from 2012-13. Telecommunications services was again the top contributor, accounting for 84.1% of the division estimates, but there were large increases across all subdivisions as businesses expanded and upgraded their infrastructure.
Industry value added (IVA) by IMT businesses in 2013-14 was $35,940 million, which represented 3.5% of Australian industry value added for total selected industries.
Further details can be found on the ABC website at Information Media and Telecommunications Services, Australia (cat. no. 8681.0).