Press Releases & Letters Issued by FABC
Clear and loud support from a large and broad cross-section of the Australian community is required if we are to ensure the ABC remains Australia's valued independent, comprehensive, innovative national broadcaster.
'Better Broadcasting', the Liberal-National Coalition's broadcasting policy at the time of its election to office in 1996, promised to maintain the ABC.
It said: "The Coalition will maintain existing levels of Commonwealth funding to the ABC .... The Coalition is strongly supportive of Radio Australia's existing services and will ensure that they are not prejudiced or downgraded in any way".
When interviewed immediately before the Coalition's election to government in 1996, Senator Alston, then Shadow Minister for Communications, was asked if the commitment to maintain funding in real terms stood if the Budget's bottom line turns out to be worse than claimed by the Labor Government. He replied: 'Absolutely .... John Howard's made it very plain that we want to honour all our commitments, and the ABC is a very important part of that.'
Soon after its election, the Government cut the ABC's annual budget by $66 million, 12% (2% in 1996/97 plus a further 10% from 1997/98). This massive decrease far exceeds reductions in other major areas of government expenditure. It came on top of the steady erosion of ABC funds which has occurred since 1987/88 due to the failure of governments to fully adjust funding for inflation.
Twenty per cent of staff lost, leaving
a total of around 4,100; loss of programs; increased 'repeats' (with more 'repeats'
than first-run programs on television on many days); more networking (i.e. programs
produced in one capital city networked to other states); increased filler, such
as talkback; decreased capacity to make diverse and challenging Australian programs.
Analysis in March '99 revealed first-run Australian content on ABC television
has declined to a
meagre 7 % when sport, parliamentary broadcasts, late-night music video clips,
and news and current affairs are excluded. Radio Australia, Australia's voice
to the Asia Pacific, has been decimated through funding cuts and closure of
the Cox Peninsula shortwave transmitter.
In 1996, shortly after announcing cuts to the ABC, the Government established the Mansfield Review into the ABC, seeking to "refine the scope of current ABC services and activities". Leaked Cabinet documents (reported Age 23.1.1997), later revealed the Government had established the Mansfield Review as a means of legitimising its intention to control the ABC and limit its role.
In their own words, to "give us the ability to influence future ABC functions and activities more directly". With a record number of 10,615 submissions being received, containing an overwhelming expression of support for the ABC by the Australian public, the Mansfield Review was able to only partially achieve what the Government wanted.
Since the Government closed Australia's
most powerful shortwave
transmitter at Cox Peninsula on June 30 1997, Radio Australia (RA) has been
denied access to an essential means of communication into Asia. Cox Peninsula
has remained idle at a cost of $600,000 per annum to Australian tax payers.
Recently, Cabinet has decided to lease the Cox Peninsula short-wave transmitter
to overseas broadcasters.
Allowing an overseas broadcaster to utilise, let alone control, an important mechanism for communication from Australia into Asia has far-reaching diplomatic, social and economic consequences. Such a decision demonstrates lack of strategic foresight and is contrary to Australia's national interests. Further, RA, Australia's own international broadcaster, will be forced to negotiate with a foreign broadcaster, and competitor, in an attempt to gain access to what is after all an Australian public facility. With the privatisation of the transmission system, RA would also now need to secure additional funds to purchase this access at commercial rates.
Unless the Australian public expresses strong support for our national public broadcaster, there may be more damage to come.
The ABC's budget is due for reconsideration this year. There may be further cuts. Not even the continuation of triennial funding is guaranteed. Triennial funding is essential for effective financial planning, and because it promotes an arms-length relationship with government.
- Clear and loud support from a large and broad cross-section of the Australian community is required if we are to ensure the ABC remains Australia's valued independent, comprehensive, innovative national broadcaster.
The present Charter which governs the ABC has served the community well. The Government is threatening to reduce the role of the ABC - to limit its range of services and activities - by changing its Charter.
There is a danger that the ABC could be forced to move from being a comprehensive broadcaster, producing a range of general and specialist programs that cater for and reflect the diverse interests of the Australian community, to become a narrowcaster complementing commercial broadcasters.
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There is pressure on the ABC to stop producing programs, other than news and current affairs, and become merely a broadcaster of material produced by others. Senator Alston, the Minister for Communications, wants the ABC to outsource all non-news and current affairs television production. He has informed the ABC that funding required for the ABC to convert to digital technology is contingent on the ABC outsourcing. There has been no evidence presented that it is more cost-effective to outsource production than produce in-house. The ABC presently outsources and co-produces a large number of productions, while continuing to produce the bulk of its own programs. An increase in the programs produced by commercial production houses will impact on the quality and character of the ABC, and compromise its independence.
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ABC Board member Mr. Michael Kroger has proposed the ABC accept advertising on, and sell-off 49% of its successful online services. The ABC's online service is successful because it is seen as credible, informative and independent from commercial or political influence. It is an integral part of the ABC's operations, deriving its content from the same sources and journalists as the other ABC networks, and cannot be sold off without jeopardising the integrity of the whole organisation. Presently, Mr Kroger does not have the support of the Board. But what of the future, as the Government replaces further members on the Board?
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By law, the ABC was required to convert from terrestrial to digital television transmission by January 2001 (together with all other broadcasters in Australia).
Full conversion from terrestrial to digital broadcasting (wherein terrestrial television and radio will cease to exist), is scheduled to be implemented on 1st January 2008.
The Government has said it will provide $20.8 million over five years and underwrite the ABC's borrowings by a further $24 million, contingent on property sales and outsourcing.
The ABC requires at least $194.9 million to fully implement the changeover from terrestrial to digital by January 2008. (The ABC's estimated cost of digitisation was found to be accurate by independent auditors Arthur Andersen, which also found that the sale of real estate to fund the costs of digital conversion was not in the best interests of the ABC.)
The ABC requires additional funds - as with the introduction of ABC television in 1956, and colour conversion in the 1970s - to make the expensive switch to digital technology. So far, the Government has promised to provide only a small proportion of funds required. Unless adequate funds are forthcoming, there will be further programming losses as the ABC is forced to divert scarce funds to its digital conversion.
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The ABC is an independent statutory authority, legally required to operate at arms-length from government. It is managed by a Board appointed by the Federal Government. The present Government has appointed only political allies to the Board as positions become vacant. And it appears an even more dangerous practice may be emerging, that of appointing political supporters who are not committed to the ABC's robust future.
The majority of Board members are appointees of the present government. Selection of ABC Board members should be on the basis of merit - ability and willingness to contribute to and enhance the operations of the ABC. A prerequisite for appointment should be a commitment to the healthy maintenance of an independent and comprehensive ABC.
Increased concentration of media ownership The Government has directed the Productivity Commission to review Australian's media laws. There is strong pressure to weaken restrictions on foreign and cross-media ownership and Australian content requirements. A healthy, independent and comprehensive broadcaster becomes even more crucial as media ownership is increasingly concentrated into the hands of a few, with those powerful private owners having far-reaching financial interests in other areas of our society.
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The Government has directed the Productivity Commission to review Australian's media laws. There is strong pressure to weaken restrictions on foreign and cross-media ownership and Australian content requirements. A healthy, independent and comprehensive broadcaster becomes even more crucial as media ownership is increasingly concentrated into the hands of a few, with those powerful private owners having far-reaching financial interests in other areas of our society.
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