ABC Divisions
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IN 2008–09, ABC Radio’s primary focus was the ABC Divisions introduction of digital radio in Australia in the five mainland capital cities and the development of ABC Digital Radio services to commence on air Section 3 from 1 July 2009. ABC Digital Radio will initially comprise simulcasts Radio of its existing analog services—ABC Radio National, ABC Classic FM, ABC NewsRadio, triple j and the relevant Local Radio metropolitan station—along with new music services, ABC Dig Music, ABC Jazz and ABC Country, each complemented by media-rich websites (abc.net.au/ radio/digital). In 2008, ABC Radio achieved record audience results for a second consecutive year: a record market share of 21.2% and a record reach of 3.82 million listeners a week in the five major cities (or 33% of that population). Each of the radio networks recorded year-on-year growth in reach (see page 39). Not all feedback to ABC Radio was positive. In October 2008, decisions to change Radio Kate Dundas National’s 2009 program schedule generated significant adverse reaction from loyal listeners, Director of Radio many of whom incorrectly perceived the changes Kate Dundas was appointed Director would deliver increased online content at the of Radio in March 2009 after 18 expense of radio programs. In 2009, the response months as Director of People and to new radio programs has generally been positive. Learning. Prior to this, Kate was Head Communities in Crises of ABC Radio’s National Networks. In addition to her ABC career, Kate has The unique role played by ABC Local Radio in worked in public and communications times of emergency was never more evident than policy areas in both state and federal with the Victorian bushfires and the floods in governments and held two senior Queensland and northern New South Wales. management roles in the New South In Victoria, rolling coverage and emergency Wales Premier’s Department. broadcasts were mounted by local stations Kate has a Bachelor of Arts in in Horsham, Bendigo, Wodonga, Sale and Communications from Charles Sturt Melbourne. All warnings were delivered within a University focused on radio and minute of being received, no inaccurate warnings television. were issued and no talkback callers went to air with inaccurate advice. Portable transmitters were erected and temporary radio services established in the towns of Warburton and Kinglake. 94.5 FM ABC Kinglake Ranges and its online service provided key weekday programs including State News and AM, with the local community mounting their own content with support and technical advice from the ABC. The service was extended to mid-July 2009. 80 ABC DIVISIONS SECTION 3 National ABC Radio networks and ABC Television ABC Local Radio programs mounted Outside helped to guide affected communities in Victoria Broadcasts from many fire-affected regions to coverage and essential information on ABC Local focusing on community recovery and rebuilding. Radio and online. In April, ABC Radio Sport provided commentary from the football match celebrating the return ABC Local Radio and ABC News established a single of the game to the Kinglake football ground. bushfires site (abc.net.au/emergency/bushfire/) with links to emergency agencies. A similar site was Debriefing sessions and specialist support established for the floods in Queensland and New services were made available to all staff involved South Wales. throughout the stressful period and they have been buoyed by the response and support from In Queensland, Local Radio broadcast from a their communities and the general public. temporary station at the Civic Centre in Ingham for almost two weeks when the community was ABC Radio participated in cross-ABC and external completely isolated by floodwater. debriefs and reviews, including the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. Recovery and Rebuilding The ABC presented a free, family-focused concert at Beijing Olympics and Paralympics the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on 1 March to reflect In August 2008, ABC Radio continued the on and celebrate the resilience and remarkable unbroken tradition of Olympic Games radio spirit of the Victorian community and to recognise coverage begun in 1936, with over 170 hours the emergency service providers and volunteers. of the Beijing Olympic Games broadcast on ABC Local Radio around Australia, with the exception In March 2009, triple j joined with Australian of 702 ABC Sydney where Rights were not concert promoters and sections of the media to available. This was followed by coverage of the support the Sound Relief fundraiser events held Paralympic Games. simultaneously at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Sydney Cricket Ground. ABC Radio celebrated the Northern Territory Grandstand’s Charlie King becoming the first On 30 March 2009, the Attorney-General presented Indigenous broadcaster to cover an Olympic ABC Local Radio Victoria with a certificate in Games. recognition of the outstanding contribution, commitment, professionalism and dedication in covering the Victorian bushfire tragedy. Tony Eastley with fire crew from Lancefield at Whittlesea Showground; ABC Reporter Richelle Hunt interviewing Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Geoff McClure, reporting in Crystal Creek, Victoria during the bushfire crisis. ABC Divisions Section 3 ABC DIVISIONS 81 Radio continued triple j’s former legendary sports commentators, ABC NewsRadio’s iconic sports presenter David Rampaging Roy Slaven and HG Nelson provided Lord interviewed Australian sporting legends in special daily half-hour wraps of Olympics a special series called Green and Gold Greats, highlights called The Golden Ring, the podcast broadcast on ABC NewsRadio on Saturday of which reached No. 1 on iTunes in August 2008. mornings. Legends include Sam Loxton, Betty Cuthbert, Ken Rosewall, Peter Thomsen, Margaret Sport Court, John Landy and John Konrads. The series ABC Radio Sport continued to deliver coverage was made available as a podcast via Grandstand. of regional, national and international sports through Grandstand on ABC Local Radio and ABC Australian Content Grandstand Online. triplejunearthed.com celebrated its second anniversary in August 2008 providing unique In 2008–09 coverage included Test, One Day and opportunities for unsigned bands to play at key 20/20 cricket, the Women’s cricket World Cup, festivals in Australia. In 2008–09, the site attracted football of all codes, the Sydney to Hobart yacht 434 291 unique visitors and 3 371 956 unique race, Australian Open tennis, netball, men’s and page views.43 Since inception, 23 464 artists have women’s basketball, and national coverage of the uploaded music, more than 140 000 users have Tour Down Under cycling event in Adelaide. registered, 2.8 million tracks have been down- ABC Radio Sport acquired the first-ever Australian loaded and eight million tracks streamed.44 digital radio Rights, in addition to AM and FM The second Unearthed High was launched in May Radio Rights, to the Ashes Cricket in England in 2009 on radio and online, urging students to start July 2009. The Radio Rights (Australia only) were a band and enter their songs in the competition. also acquired for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth The winning band will be flown to Sydney to Games. record their song professionally, have it played on ABC NewsRadio introduced the new Aussie Rules triple j and win a triple j concert at their school. Preview on Friday nights in March 2009, hosted A four-part documentary series, Wide Open Road, by sports journalist Chris Glassock ahead of the was broadcast on triple j, Radio National and Local evening’s game-for-broadcast. The network also Radio and was covered online during Ausmusic mounted a special series, A Month of Saturdays, month in November 2008. It looked at the sound featuring legendary sports journalist Max Presnell of Australian music and how the landscape has in October 2008 to mark the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. 43 Source: Google Analytics. 44 Source: triple j. 82 ABC DIVISIONS SECTION 3 helped shape that sound. The series included Ricketson’s Porphyrius’ Shuffle, circle for piano; the interviews with The Saints, The Presets, Midnight world premiere broadcast for Stuart Greenbaum’s Oil, Hilltop Hoods, The Go-Betweens, John Butler, Chamber Concerto for Flute and Percussion; Magic Dirt, Sarah Blasko, Silverchair, The Waifs, and and Nigel Butterley’s Beni Avshalom. The Pigram Brothers among others. The J Awards were announced in December 2008 Northern Territory Local Radio launched a new at the Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney coinciding comedy series, Tough at the Top, featuring 12 with a live-to-air broadcast on triple j. The Awards video comedy sketches written and performed by have become respected in the music industry with Territorians, Anne Edmonds and Anna Daniels. The winners selected on quality rather than commercial series attracted over 6 000 hits on both ABC Local potential. The Presets were awarded Australian and YouTube in its first four weeks. Album of the Year, The John Steel Singers received the Unearthed J Award and Mike Daly, director ABC Local Radio and ABC Local online featured of The Herd’s 20/20 clip received the award for the national finals of the Australian Poetry Slam Australian Music Video of the Year. 2008 from the Sydney Opera House. For the first time, poets competed for a wild card entry to the Indigenous Content National Grand Slam via Local Radio’s Online Poetry ABC Radio partnered with Umeewarra Aboriginal Slam Competition. Eighteen finalists competed for Media Association in Port Augusta in two cross- the national title and $5 000 prize money before a media projects. Port Augusta Reimagines was made live audience at the Grand Slam hosted by 702 ABC by Umeewarra radio producers for broadcast on Sydney’s Andrew Daddo and Miles Merrill. ABC Radio and online on the new ABC Indigenous In November, ABC Classic FM launched classic/amp, portal.