background briefing .....................2

Friends of the ABC Australia wide

The National Conference

In the second weekend in February FABC state organisations met in Sydney for a conference and emerged a more co-operative, more focussed and stronger structure. We looked back at the impact we have made and forward to building our membership and spreading our message into the wider community.

Over thirty delegates attended, with strong representation from across Australia.

We had three guest speakers: the ABC Board chairman, Donald McDonald; Quentin Dempster of the 7.30 Report, and The Australian's media commentator Errol Simper. Quentin gave us an insight into problems the staff are facing. Errol Simper brought us down to earth with his comments on the ongoing saga of crises concerning the ABC. There werealso very valuable contributions from Roger Grant (GM Corporate Relations ABC) and Stephen Crittenden (Executive Producer of Religion for ABC Radio).

A major outcome of the conference was the setting up of working parties across the states to develop expertise and resources in the areas of recruitment, national policies, merchandising, support materials, fundraising, on-line strategy, marginal seats strategy, community liaison and local groups. These and other initiatives will build upon the avenues of co-operation that already exist between the states.

An important part of our drive to strengthen our national focus for the ongoing campaign was the decision to publish a national newsletter and to appoint a national editor - Joan Laing, FABC South Australia.

Penny Wright, President of the South Australian branch, was unanimously declared the new National Spokesperson, replacing Chas Savage from the ACT.

The happiest outcome of the conference was the way we established friendships and inspired each other, producing a fresh surge of energy and optimism. We have come so far in the last two and a half years.

We have established ourselves as an articulate fighting force in the nation and reaffirmed ourselves in the combined strength of our numbers across Australia. And we are confident of increasing our numbers and our influence in the coming year.

Thanks to the NSW President Penelope Toltz and her committee who made the conference possible; to our facilitator Virginia Gordon; to agenda organiser Glenys Stradijot; and to Maurice Toltz, who provided the conference location, the delicious food that sustained us throughout, and the behind the scenes support that ensured the smooth running of the weekend.

Special thanks also to our three speakers.

75 years of 2BL

10 years older than Aunty

When the ABC celebrated the 75th anniversary of its Sydney radio station 2BL we were puzzled. After all, hadn't we celebrated the 65th anniversary of the ABC itself in July '97?

Having at long last obtained a copy of Ken Inglis' history 'This is the ABC' we were able to redeem our ignorance of the early history of broadcasting and solve the puzzle.

Under the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1905 (passed with only morse code signals in mind), the Bruce-Page government in 1923 moved to regulate use of the airwaves. Broadcasting companies were licensed and listeners paid licence fees to specific stations - the receivers were sealed so that only the nominated station could be listened to. The PMG received 10/- for every licensed listener.

Then in 1924 the system was changed. The PMG would collect the licence fees and stations would be funded as either A- or B-class. A-class stations would receive some government funding and take limited advertising. B-class stations could take moreadvertising but received no government money.

By 1925 there were eight A-class stations on air andthese were taken over in 1929-30 by the Australian Broadcasting Company, the first but private ABC. (Twelve B class stations had opened by the end of 1926.) In 1932, with funding and transmission problems it was unlikely that the Company would seek to have its contract renewed. The Scullin Labor government drafted a bill to replace the Company with a Commission based on that of the BBC. This did not touch the B-class stations.

Before it could be passed the Labor government gave way to the United Australia Party under Joseph Lyons, who introduced a similar bill before the Company's contract ran out in June. The Commission was to take over the eight A-class stations of the Australian Broadcasting Company, including 2BL.

The bill became law on 17 May 1932. The first broadcast of the Australian Broadcasting Commission began with a chime of bells from the Sydney GPO at eight o'clock on the evening of Friday 1 July 1932.

'This is the Australian Broadcasting Commission', said announcer Conrad Charlton, and Prime Minister Lyons pronounced the Commission inaugurated.