FRI 001 Newsletter 10/4/08 10:08 AM Page 1
Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc. quarterly newsletter April-May 2008 Vol 16, No.6 update friends of the abc
evolution from traditional broadcaster of radio and TV to the delivery of “THE ABC’s BEST information and entertainment through the internet, Mark Scott pointed out that there were 20 “DAYS ARE AHEAD” million downloads of Radio National products last year, 50% of these from – Mark Scott outside Australia, and spoke of the new ABC website Mal Hewitt reports: abc.net.au/greenatwork where the ABC will be on show as a role model The ABC’s Managing Director, Mark for the reduction of its own carbon footprint. Scott, believes that the ABC’s best days are still to come, which is not to On the matter of advertising on the devalue the 75 wonderful years which ABC, the Managing Director repeated have already passed, but reflects a his undertaking that there would be great optimism about the future of no advertising (other than internal the National broadcaster. In a meeting advertising of ABC programs) on with NSW FABC President Mal Hewitt radio, TV or abc.net.au but indicated and Membership Secretary Chris that there is a grey area with ABC – Cartledge on Wednesday 3rd April, linked websites such as Countdown. Friends of the ABC will be seeking the ABC’s Managing Director and assurances from Minister Conroy that, Director, Communications, Gary if necessary, existing legislation will Dawson, outlined a vision for the be strengthened to ensure that the future in which the ABC leads all ABC remains totally advertisement- other media organizations in free in all of its activities. Clarification embracing new technology and which the cost is shared (Enough was sought from Mark Scott on the maintaining outstanding quality and Rope, The Chaser, Summer Heights recently announced ABC Shop innovation in traditional radio and High, Bastard Boys) allow for the download facility, where material television broadcasting. Whilst there production of more material at lower currently available for purchase is a strong commitment to keeping cost, whilst maintaining high the best that the ABC does, there is (Continued on Page 3) production quality and greater also a belief that the ABC must leverage from the ABC. Scott restated change in order to remain strong. his strong support for internal Referring to the recent productions by the ABC, with its high inside announcement of the new Division of level of efficiency and effectiveness. The President’s Report 2 ABC Resources, Mark Scott reiterated Recent press reports highlighted the Branch News 4 that “the ABC is committed in the planned introduction of automated Have the Friends of the ABC lost future to being a broadcaster and studio systems in television news their teeth? 6 producer of its own material as it is studios, requiring significantly less Scott delivers Aunty’s medicine 7 today. That means sourcing the best staff. “The savings generated through quality material at the best price from these measures will allow the ABC to From Cultural War to Cultural both our own producers and the produce more content, including Democracy: Its your ABC 8 independent production sector.” more news content, for our audiences, What can we expect from Labor? 10 Relatively inexpensive programs and we plan to set aside some of the Good reasons for optimism about (Spics and Specs, New Inventors, savings to fund additional TV the ABC’s future 10 Talking Heads) will remain 100% ABC production from outside Sydney and Come clean on commercialisation productions, but co-productions in Melbourne.” In discussing the of the ABC 11
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A word from the NSW President
I am grateful to the members of political environment of a Rudd Labor the fact that Cowper Branch of Friends of the ABC government. I will attempt to address Australia still has a for recently producing a paper which some of the issues raised by the publicly funded has been circulated to all NSW FABC Cowper paper national broadcaster branches, in which they question how is a sign of the success of past FABC effective Friends of the ABC has been as HOW EFFECTIVE HAS FRIENDS campaigns, given the number of a political lobby group in recent years, OF THE ABC BEEN AS A LOBBY members of the Howard government and raise some very important GROUP who were prepared to go on record questions about our role in the new Could I remind you all of the nature stating their belief that the ABC should be privatized. Undoubtedly, 100,000 Update Publication Information and style of the government (and Prime Minister) that we have been supporters in Sydney domain, or 15,000 Update is published four times a year by dealing with in Canberra for the last 11 supporters on the Opera House Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc. (FABC), years, a Prime Minister who greatly forecourt, or even 250,000 ABC listeners PO Box 1391 NORTH SYDNEY 2059. admired Margaret Thatcher, of ‘the who joined in ABC birthday Printpost approved PP245059/00002 lady’s not for turning’ fame, and a celebrations last year are not To become a member phone (02) 9990 0600 government which: insignificant expressions of public or email to
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across the country. It is also unrealistic RELATIONS WITH NEW to think that FABC is going to attract GOVERNMENT “THE ABC’s young members to most of its meetings The new Minister for Communications, and activities. This does not mean that Senator Conroy, has already met a BEST DAYS the younger ABC audience should not delegation involving FABC presidents have a voice in Friends of the ABC. We from Queensland, NSW and ACT. It ARE AHEAD” simply have to ensure that our was apparent from that meeting that, communication methods and (Continued from Page 1) along with Friends of the ABC, the opportunities for dialogue with this minister has to fight for any increase in audience must take into account the through ABC shops will be able to ABC funding against the demands of preferred communication vehicle for be downloaded for a fraction of every other minister in the context of a younger people – the internet. There the cost of the purchase price. finite amount of money in the budget. must be dialogue with young people, Programs which are currently However, what was established in that and this is an area where branches can available at no cost on the ABC meeting was the importance of and should share ideas and resources. It website, including podcasts, maintaining dialogue with the minister will certainly be an agenda item for this vodcasts, news and current affairs, in what will be a long process of year’s FABC state conference. pressure and lobbying in order that the will remain accessible free of charge. CO-ORDINATED NATIONAL ABC is able to fulfil its charter in every ACTIVITY way. Input from Friends of the ABC Whilst it was clear from our will be sought to the whole budget discussion with Mark Scott and There are historical reasons why Friends planning process for the 2009 budget, a Gary Dawson that much energy of the ABC is a state-based organization, critical year for the ABC as the within the ABC is focused upon however every two years there is a commencement of the next triennium, making the available dollars go National Conference, with reporting with the ultimate aim of convincing further, largely through back to the branches from that the Finance Minister and Treasurer – embracing new technologies, it conference. The 2007 conference did another working group task for state was also clear that the ABC will be produce national approaches and conference. seeking a significant increase in recommended strategies for branches to Two things were very clear from that funding from the Rudd adopt in the leadup to the election. meeting, though – that we cannot Government for the next triennial Again, it is impossible to establish the expect largesse for the ABC in the 2008 funding period, commencing with effectiveness of these strategies in the 2009 Federal Budget. Included influencing the election outcome, but I budget, as Kevin Rudd made no pre- in this request will be funding for am certain that the enormous effort election promises relating to the ABC, ABC 3, the digital children’s which ACT Branch put into the seat of and that Minister Conroy has a channel which, Mark Scott Eden-Monaro had some influence on passionate commitment to ensuring assured us, is ready to commence the result in that seat, and FABC that the ABC receives increased broadcasting as soon as the funds material reminding voters of the funding in the future to better enable it are available. importance of their vote in the Senate to be the medium through which “the reached a very wide audience. Also, the Australian story can be told to the Friends of the ABC will actively 2007 National Conference elected a Australian audience.” support ABC management as it National Spokesperson in ProfessorAlan NSW Friends of the ABC has the seeks a significant increase in Knight from Queensland, who has been dual role of informing and educating funding to enable the ABC to able to gain significant media coverage the public and lobbying politicians on raise the Australian content of its for the voice of Friends of the ABC on a behalf of the ABC, whilst maintaining programming, both “in house” number of ABC related issues over the open communication with ABC staff and through co-productions, and past ten months. and management and constructive ensures that the ABC remains at dialogue with the minister of the day. the cutting edge of digital GETUP CAMPAIGNS The branches throughout NSW are an broadcasting technology. The role essential element in effectively Past NSW President Gary Cook was of FABC branches will be vital, meeting these responsibilities, responsible for the GETUP campaign in both in applying pressure to local particularly those of informing, 2006, which collected nearly 80,000 Federal Members of Parliament, educating and lobbying, and the work signatures in support of the ABC, and and in keeping the public aware of many of our branches in these areas was the most successful GETUP of the importance of adequate is quite outstanding. However, I accept campaign to that point. Recent funding for our national the challenge put out by Cowper discussions with GETUP suggest that broadcaster. This will be top of Branch that we can do better. The the agenda for NSW Friends of there needs to be a significant issue, 2008 NSW FABC State Conference in the ABC throughout 2008 and at perhaps relating the importance of Wollongong in August will provide a the State Conference in public broadcasting to the right of the forum in which branches and Australian people to be served by media membership will shape the future of Wollongong in August, and Mark free of both commercial and Friends of the ABC, a future which Scott accepted our invitation to government influence. This may well be may well be very different from the attend the conference as our a task for a working group at state past. I look forward to your keynote speaker. conference. participation in this process.
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Branch News
Illawarra Activity in the Illawarra where he hosted the and more recently spent 5 years in number one breakfast program for 25 radio management before joining years. He was also the breakfast ABC Illawarra. The Christmas season is always a busy personality at 2GB in Sydney for 3 Steve is a trivia wiz and writes the time for the Friends of the ABC years when the News/Talk format was questions for ABC Illawarra’s ‘baby Illawarra. It starts with the Kiama launched in the 1970's. boomer quiz’ heard each weekday Seaside Markets, where each year Steve's television career includes morning on 97.3FM. His ten volunteers staff a stall taking time at TCN 9 during the early days question quiz for the Illawarra’s membership enquiries and renewals of colour and ten years as a sports and Christmas party which was based on as well as selling the full range of news presenter on Prime TV. He has ABC Illawarra was a lot of fun and a Friends merchandise. written a weekly newspaper column great hit with members. The Christmas Party takes the form of an afternoon tea with a special guest speaker. This year just on a hundred members attended to hear popular local ABC radio host Steve Parsons talk about his experiences in the media. Steve recently celebrated 40 years in broadcasting. Much of that time spent
Mid north coast branch Retreat Steve Parsons and part of the audience at the Illawarra Christmas Party. Mid north coast branch Northern Rivers In the Northern Rivers region, FABC is holding a Forum Janelle Saffin won the seat of Page for to be held at Falls Forest Activity the ALP and Justine Elliott held her seat of Richmond for the ALP. Retreat, Johns River On 26 January in Lismore, members on 17th May. of the Northern Rivers branch The Retreat is set in beautiful accepted a nomination for an Gondwana Rainforest Sanctuary Australia Day award following the with walks to waterfalls. Johns successful exhibition "Through River is 40 minutes south of Port Australian Eyes" held at the Lismore Macquarie, 3.5 – 4 hours north City Library in 2007 and visits to the of Sydney. region by ABC foreign The agenda is a report from each correspondents. Neville Jennings branch, brainstorm on issues of From left to right are Ed Bennett (Treasurer), accepted the nomination on behalf of Neville Jennings (President), Doug Myler (Vice concern, come up with a plan President), Sue Sawkins and Steve Sawkins the branch in the Arts / Cultural for 2008 and actions for (Committee Members). The photo was taken at category. branches to follow up. Trinity College Lismore. Northern Rivers branch members Keynote speaker, Professor have expressed concern about the Alan Knight, is FABC National At the end of 2007prior to the Federal proposed change top the ABC logo. Spokesperson. election, the Northern Rivers branch They look forward to seeing Quentin held two "Meet the Candidates" There will be space to stay Dempster resume his rightful place on rallies. All candidates expressed overnight if you choose, but be the ABC board and would support support for the ABC but there were in quick – $50 per head. any move to have commercial variations in policy over the method advertising banned from SBS in line Catering – Lunch, afternoon tea, of making appointments to the ABC with the ABC's non-commercial dinner $50 (or by arrangement). Board. Some 5000 postcards provided stance. Self-cater breakfast on 18th May. by the Illawarra Branch and supporting the ABC were distributed The next branch meeting will be Enquiries please ring 02 6583 held at the Lismore Workers Club on 8798 or 0431 598125 by letter box drop or handed out at polling booths on the day of the Wednesday 5 March at 6 pm. election. Neville Jennings
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Central Coast their small communities with Activity all the necessary facilities to make their lives healthy The Central Coast Branch was and meaningful, particularly fortunate to have Jeff and to give their McMullen as our guest speaker on children the Friday evening 29 February, when 120 opportunities for members and friends attended to hear higher education. and question a dedicated journalist, a powerful advocate for Australia’s Only 7% of white Members Klaas Woldring & Pat McDonnell with Jeff McMullen indigenous people and an informed Australians know an analyst of the seriousness of global aboriginal family warming. and Jeff’s injunction to us is to join in with aboriginal opportunities for an aboriginal child. Jeff began as the youngest foreign programmes, to invite families into Jeff’s talk was most inspiring, correspondent with the ABC and our homes and to make financial presented completely without notes, began reporting from PNG. From that contributions to help with the and demonstrated the total beginning he has had a wide range of education of aboriginal people. A conviction that he and his family experiences in many regions of the “Literacy Back Pack” at a cost of $100 have to the cause of equalising the world where tragedy and suffering per year can make a significant opportunities for indigenous people have occurred and still demonstrate difference to the learning in the Australian society. man’s inhumanity in many areas of conflict. Not only are people at war with one another but at war with the Greens branch which serves the earth and Jeff contends that water Vale Macleay, Hastings and Manning will be the greatest challenge to catchments); music (she was an mankind along with species Nancy accomplished pianist) and culture of destruction. all kinds. Everyone always knew DNA tells us that we are all Short about these passions – she always members of the human family and wore the t-shirts and badges! despite Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi On 19th February, after a long illness, I’m sure there are some interests Amin and others, the human race can much loved friend Nancy Short I’ve forgotten – but the one we’re rise above these brutalities and offer passed from this world. She was a most interested in here is the Friends. hope for the future. founding member of FABC in 1976, I’m sure her name is well known Life style illnesses are becoming and was the main instigator of the amongst those of a certain age at founding of the mid north coast evident on a global pattern and Ultimo. She brought Phillip Adams branch when she moved to Port threaten to reduce life expectancy but to Port in 1998 and 200 attended a Macquarie in the 1980s. this has always been the situation dinner at the RSL. She rang local amongst the aboriginal communities Tributes were many – “small in non-attending members every 2 who suffer from heart problems, stature but big in everything else, months or so to urge them to come to diabetes and renal failure, all of which especially her spirit” was one from meetings. She rang me at least 10 are preventable. Indigenous mothers former President of mnc branch John times before I made time to attend a often have more than one of these Neilson. Former President of FABC BBQ. Within a year I was Treasurer of illnesses which impact on their NSW, Walter Bass, said “an the branch, and later President. But children, creating markedly reduced extraordinary worker, attended every she was the one with the ideas and I life expectancy. Jeff’s answer to these meeting of FABC in Sydney before went along, reigning her in problems is education. Research moving north and supporter of occasionally. She was also a dear suggests that one extra year of 150,000 different causes”. This is my education can add 4 years to life friend and since her illness I’ve treasured memory of Nancy too. I missed her heaps. It was such a shock expectancy. Amongst the indigenous first met her on a Peace when she was no longer able to people of North America, the life demonstration in Port and shared attend our meetings and functions. expectancy has been raised to within with her (though she put in more 3 to 5 years of the white population time and passion then me) the Vale Nancy. Good on you for a life compared with 12 to 16 years in following interests – Reconciliation ethically and well-lived. And how earlier days. Many Australian (she walked across the Sydney like you to hang on to see the Labour indigenous children do not see a book Harbour Bridge with the multitudes in Party victory in November and the until they go to school. 2000); Rural Australians for Refugees; apology on Sorry Day, less than a Jeff expressed strong objection to Dune Care; environmental week before you succumbed, aged 94. any move to urbanise indigenous conservation; Greens (attending the Drusi Megget people. They must be supported in founding meetings of the Three Rivers Port Macquarie 21.3.08
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Have the Friends of the ABC lost their teeth? Darce Cassidy
Shortly after the election of the partner with us in a petition to the our National Resource Centre website Howard government, the ABC, and its government. Seventy thousand contains more than 170 separate friends, faced a great challenge. signatures sent a powerful message to documents. They range from letters to Canberra. the editor and media releases through Despite an election promise to to detailed submissions to maintain ABC funding, the Did these changes come about parliamentary inquiries. Included are government cut ABC funding by 12%. because the coalition government 18 complete editions of our national By the start of the 21st century a new wanted to be rid of Jonathan Shier, or journal, Background Briefing. Managing Director, Jonathan Shier, was because that government wanted to wreaking havoc internally. The ABC give the ABC more money? Clearly The NSW and Victorian was suffering from a double whammy, not. They happened because of public organisations, which are of course our a hostile Managing Director and a pressure, and the Friends of the ABC largest, each produce their own regular crippling lack of funds. played a crucial role in the creation of newsletters. From Adelaide Joan Laing that public pressure. edits Background Briefing, a regular They were dark days. As the then newsletter shared by FABC groups in national spokesperson for Friends of Today Friends of the ABC policy on Western Australia, South Australia, the the ABC I summarised our immediate the method of appointment to the ACT and Queensland. aims the Spring 2001 edition of our ABC board is official government quarterly newsletter, Background policy. Our early efforts to persuade We lost no time in meeting with the Briefing. They were: Labor to adopt a system based on the new Minister, Stephen Conroy. A Nolan Rules in the U.K. failed. Labor delegation comprising Jill Greenwell • Restoration of ABC funding to its initially gave us a blunt no, but we (ACT), Mal Hewett (NSW) and Alan 1995-6 level, plus funding for the ABC persevered, and after years of Knight (QLD) had a positive meeting to fully participate in the digital persistence managed to persuade the early in the year. While it was a environment. Labor Party’s new Shadow Minister for positive meeting in most respects, there • Advertising to be prohibited on ABC Communications to adopt our policy. was no good news on budget issues. Online. The Rudd government has also The government is concerned about the sub-prime crisis. Our focus • An end to the stacking of the ABC adopted our policy that there should be therefore will be on the next funding board. a staff elected director on the ABC board. triennium, which begins in 2009. • Replacing Jonathan Shier These are real and substantial gains, FABC (ACT and Region) has It didn’t look likely at the time, but but we have had only partial success maintained the contacts our we have won on most of these issues. with ABC Online. The Act has not Parliamentary Lobby Group has established with Federal politicians Today the Shier regime is no more been amended to prohibit advertising interested in communications policy. than a bad dream. He left under a on ABC web sites. Moreover, while the In the last year they have been in black cloud. main ABC web sites are advertisement free, subsidiary sites, like the contact with members of the Senate Today government funding of the Countdown site, are running Committee on Communications issues ABC is well above its 1995-6 levels. advertisements. ¬Stephen Conroy, Dana Wortley (ALP), Adjusted for inflation government Bob Brown, Rachel Siewert, (Greens), Funding is still a major issue. The funding has risen from $747.1 million Lyn Allison (Democrats)¬before the ABC is better funded that it was in in 1995-6 to $802.5 million in 2006-7. Senate Estimates hearings last October 1995-6, the last year that Labor was in (Source: Commnwealth Parliamentary and in May this year. Issues they have power, but by any reasonable measure Library). lobbied them on include aspects of the the ABC is still under resourced. The While we rarely saw eye to eye with ABC’s 2006 budget, fears about ABC struggles to survive financially. Richard Alston when he was Minister advertising, the end of ABC talking This year another round of for Communications, a delegation of book production, the new ABC redundancies is likely. FABC representatives from South editorial guidelines. Advertising and other commercial Australia, Victoria and the Australian What are the major issues for the influences have the potential to distort Capital territory had a positive next few years? At this stage I think the ABC’s priorities. The growth of response from the Coalition’s the major issue is ABC3, the proposed advertising on the SBS, with Backbench Communications kids channel. This is closely linked to advertisements now interrupting Committee. National Party members, funding. and Liberals from regional areas, knew programs, is an ominous precedent. This should be a popular issue with how important the ABC was in their How then are we equipped to meet the public. It is literally a motherhood communities. these challenges? While we are issue. The Howard government separate organisations in the different While all FABC organisations were promised to fund it, but Labor has states and territories, we co-operate part of this long drawn out funding been silent so far. I believe we are well together. We also co-operate with Save campaign, Garry Cook, the former placed to make this a major public Our SBS. President of FABC NSW deserves special issue over the next twelve months as mention. Gary played a key role in Every state and territory organisation we move towards the start of the next getting the Get Up organisation to now has its own web site. Moreover funding triennium.
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From www.crikey.com.au/ "If we want to ask for more money Scott delivers Aunty's Medicine in the future, and we do, then we have to have a robust answer to the question of how we use the money we Margaret Simons will occur, how much money will be already get," he said. writes: saved or how that money will be spent. As with all things to do with What will he be asking for? "Too Hard to imagine the contracting out and efficiency, the soon, too soon," he responds, but gives sober personage of devils and angels are likely to lurk in some headlines. More high quality ABC Managing the yet to be announced detail. Australian content in drama and Director Mark Scott documentary, more money for multi- Scott talked to Crikey yesterday singing karaoke, but if he did the tune channelling, and more opportunities evening and revealed a bit more of his would surely be A Spoonful of Sugar. to use the ABC's internet presence to thinking. Would the savings be spent It's a handy ditty as the politically deliver content - fitting hand in glove on more reporters on the beat? He said adept ABC chief tries to do more and with the Rudd Government's emphasis he "aspired" to do this. Hmmm. more with no more resources - while on fast Broadband infrastructure. limbering up to ask for a bigger share How many redundancies? He Expect more over the next few of the public purse. wouldn't say, but he pointed out that months as Scott uses every forum, "traditional old" production studios Two weeks ago Scott announced an including Kevin Rudd's 2020 summit, needed eight or nine people to array of new ABC services. It was to begin singing a new tune. operate, whereas the new ones being mostly a case of slicing and dicing To quote Abba "All the things I could existing content in new ways, but the used in Sydney and Melbourne need only two or three. The precise numbers do, if I had a little money. Money, announcement was nevertheless money, money." convincing evidence of Auntie moving of redundancies will depend on how with the technological times. many people are able and willing to be http://www.crikey.com.au/ retrained and redeployed, he said, and Yesterday came the medicine. New this will be worked out in technology saves money. The consultations about to begin. broadcasting industry is going through what newspapers did twenty years ago, As for the perennial outsourcing when technology eliminated hundreds issue, Scott said that by outsourcing Friends of the of printers' jobs. In London agency production, the ABC was able to do reporters tell their stories direct to more with less. External production ABC (NSW) robot cameras, operating their own meant that other money, such as film auto queues with their feet. The same commission funds, made Auntie's Bi-Annual State has been happening for years here in dollar go further. He claimed that over Conference Australia at Sky News. the last two years every $1 million of ABC money spent on Australian Auntie is moving with the times The next State Conference will content has resulted in $3.4 million of here too, and as a result there will be be held in Wollongong on 9-10 material going to air. an unspecified number of August 2008. redundancies at the ABC in production This alone means that outsourcing The Illawarra Branch of the staff due to the automation of will continue and grow. At the same Friends of the ABC is celebrating television studios. This pill was time, it seems that the popular cheap their 10th year and has offered wrapped up in a bigger pill with the and cheerful studio based programs to host the next State announcement of a new way of like New Inventors, Spicks and Specks Conference. The inaugural State counting that will reveal - probably for and Talking Heads will continue to be Conference (2002) was held in the first time - the true cost of making done in-house. Wollongong and was a great television in house at the ABC. This This is probably for two reasons. success. It was at this will enable comparisons with They wouldn't attract extra outside conference that the Constitution contracting out. Meanwhile ABC staff funding in any case, and the ABC is was changed to formalise the will be encouraged to market any spare competitive in making them - as current branch structure. capacity to outsiders. demonstrated by the fact that ABC Branches will be asked to staff are presently making Good News While Scott says the ABC remains nominate delegates and submit Week under contract for Channel Ten. committed to a mixed model with agenda items in the near future. some in house production, the long All this takes place in the larger In the meantime put the dates term implications are both profound, context of the ABC's triennial funding in your diary and if you have tough on ABC staff, and probably submission, presently in preparation any ideas for the agenda inevitable. and due to be delivered to please send them to our Adding to the predictable angst, Government late this year. Scott freely President Mal Hewitt (contact Scott is being very short on specifics. admits he is preparing the ground - details on page 2). We don't know how many demonstrating that the ABC is using redundancies there will be, when they its present allocation to the max.
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thinking about how public FROM CULTURE WAR TO CULTURAL broadcasting needs to change to DEMOCRACY: IT'S YOUR ABC remain relevant to emerging audiences with different, and in many ways more exacting, expectations of by Tony Moore score settling, and instead ask how media. (Centre for Policy Development) to enhance public participation in the ABC. I suggest that the ABC needs radical Many supporters of the change, and I offer up a plan for The ABC is grappling with how to ABC felt relieved when creating a non-partisan and fairer transform itself from a paternalistic a hostile conservative system for selecting the board. government was public broadcaster catering to a loyal Cultural warriors such as Keith replaced by a social if passive audience to a multi-channel Windschuttle or Janet Albrechtsen are democratic one which narrow-caster, engaging diverse and no more likely to resign with the claims to be friendly. conditional audiences that have an change of government than Labor Since the election, some have called expectation that they will participate, appointees were when the Coalition for Howard Government appointees or at least be consulted, in content was elected. Attention should instead to resign from the board and for the creation. While many innovators be directed to Labor's election pledge ABC to be properly funded. The within the ABC are rising to this to surrender the government's right to change of government, however, is no challenge, the wider public debate has make appointments and adopt the guarantee that money will pour into been a sterile contest between those 'arm's length' Nolan Rules, Aunty's coffers and a left-wing ABC neo-liberals who loath a state
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accustomed to the predictability of or chosen under the Nolan Rules. It is even offering up their own programs party pre-selections, are opposed to also a cause of concern that the once for comment, You Tube style, as election of boards, arguing that vocal state-based Advisory Councils children already do on the just- democratic control is already exerted were abolished in 1989 ahead of the launched Rollermache by parliament, or that people will centralisation of production and www.abc.net.au/rollercoaster/kidstv/roller vote for celebrity lightweights. Due to commissioning in Sydney, that began mache.htm site. a century of grounding in producer with the demise of the state-based Where the ANAO lamented a value and worker's rights, the ALP 7.30 Reports. These valuable state tendency for Shier-era bureaucrats to culture is comfortable with workplace community forums should be re- manage up the pyramid, to the democracy, but still suspicious of calls established as part of the Rudd Managing Director, the ABC's digital for consumer democracy. However I'm Government's overhaul of the Board. initiatives are orientating program convinced strong candidates will get makers in the other direction, towards up and that the debates surrounding Representative structures only go so their diverse audiences. This is a election to the Board will increase the far towards democratising the ABC. In democratic and creative trend relevance of the ABC to a changing 2002 the Australian National Audit collapsing the barriers between community and enhance the public's Office (ANAO) investigation found consumers and producers, and it sense of ownership. Election will the ABC wanting in the area of should be a priority for resourcing by ensure some ideas entrepreneurs and qualitative audience research. The the Rudd government which has mavericks who may be knocked back Auditor felt that reliance on the pledged to ensure that the ABC is by the Nolan process get to make commercial ratings system was 'able to exploit the potential of new their case. inappropriate for measuring how successfully the ABC was meeting its technology'. Senator Conroy said in Crucially, the Rudd Government is charter requirements. Unfortunately, February that the ABC and SBS would entitled by precedent to dissolve the the ABC persists in over-reliance on be exempt from the one-off 2% current Board and inaugurate a new OzTam or Nielsen ratings and still efficiency cut intended for all Federal one in a clean sweep as part of its favours executive hunches over government agencies. This is good promised reform of the selection audience consultation, as the recent news, but will the ABC get a funding process. The passing of legislation debacle increase from the Rudd Government mandating the Nolan Rules for the
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WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM LABOR? Darce Cassidy It is a truism that oppositions tend to partisan process such a move would like the ABC and governments tend to destroy its credibility. It is worth the without amending loathe it. If the ABC is doing its job wait to do things openly and properly. the Act. The properly, perhaps that is how it Another Labor promise has been the minister simply should be. Governments wield much restoration of the position of the Staff used his power to more power than oppositions, and Elected Director, which was abolished make appointments thus require greater scrutiny from by the Howard government just as the to appoint a person chosen by the the media. ABC staff had elected Quentin staff. The current government could On the positive side it seems that Dempster as their representative. do the same, if it chose. An election the Rudd government is serious about This position is one of two positions has been held and the government reforming the process by which on the ABC board which would not be could simply appoint Dempster as members of the ABC board, and subject to the Nolan Rules process. soon as the first vacancy occurs. similar bodies, are chosen. Labor has The second is the position of In opposition Labor was sympathetic adopted Friends of the ABC policy Managing Director, which is to a funding increase for the ABC. It that board appointments should determined by the board itself. promised adequate funding, but made follow an open and transparent no specific funding promises. The process similar to the process adopted The Howard government changed in the UK and known as the Nolan the ABC Act to remove the provision Coalition promised money for a third Rules. for a Staff Elected Director. The digital TV channel, aimed at children. Coalition will control of the Senate at Despite speculation that it would With the terms of two members of least until July, and possibly beyond match the promise, as it had matched the ABC board due to expire shortly, that (depending on independents and other Coalition promises, Labor did some have been disappointed that not commit itself to a figure. Labor has not taken the opportunity minor parties). It is unlikely that there to “balance” the right wing tilt of the can be legislation for a Staff Elected The chances of additional funds for current board with the appointment Director until July at the earliest. the ABC in the May budget are slim. of friendly faces. But if the However, the Whitlam government None the less, Friends of the ABC will government is serious about a non appointed a Staff Elected Director pursue the issue.
fanciful, at the time the Howard GOOD REASONS FOR OPTIMISM government came into office both it and its supporters believed something ABOUT THE ABC’S FUTURE needed to be done. Robert Manne With the election of the Rudd Government there is some reason to feel optimistic about the future of the As soon as the Howard government capitalist, showing little interest in, or ABC. The culture wars will come was elected, it decided to make the understanding of, real-world abruptly to an end. Without a friendly ABC one of the main fronts of the economic. government receptive to its bilious culture war it was determined to The ABC had long been dominated, views, the right-wing commentariat prosecute. The justification can be it was claimed, by so-called elites who will lose most of its cultural clout. summarised like this. tried to force their so-called politically The absurdity of having people such correct views down the throats of At some time in the past, so it was as Ron Brunton, Janet Albrechtsen ordinary people. alleged, the ABC had been captured and Keith Windschuttle on the ABC by its staff, who sought to use the Because there was believed to be a board will also be instantly broadcaster, in a Gramscian manner, disconnect between the ABC transparent, In time they will be as a launching pad for cultural program-makers, who were said to be replaced. If they had any honour, revolution. As part of this cultural left-wing ideologues, and their they would resign. As their presence revolution, the ABC for a long time viewers and listeners, who on has completely delegitimised the had supposedly pushed the agenda of balance were liberal or conservative, system of governmental control over the Left on issues such as refugees, the short description of the ABC most appointments to the board, a the republic, multiculturalism, favoured by John Howard in 1996 collective sigh of relief will be heard reconciliation, radical feminism, was the one supplied by his adviser from all but the most blinkered extreme environmentalism, anti- Grahame Morris: ‘Our enemy talking cultural warrior when, as Kevin Rudd Americanism, gay rights and so on. to our friends.’ has promised, a new, more BBC-like Because it was supposedly still Although almost every element of system of non-partisan appointments influenced by Marxism, it was anti- this case was exaggerated or entirely is introduced.
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COME CLEAN ON COMMERCIALISATION OF THE ABC
Quentin Dempster stack of the ABC board and restore the staff-elected director position in the The Newman board has restructured ABC Act. This is most welcome in an the ABC divisions, replacing ABC institution which has been under Enterprises (which managed ABC sustained ideological attack and Shops and other related products) with vilification for more than a decade. But what it is calling ABC Commercial. it is also hard to forget that under the With the ABC Act expressly Hawke/Keating governments 1983- prohibiting advertising on ABC radio 1996 the ABC was substantially and television, ABC Commercial wants defunded. Pressure must be to construct a new business plan maintained on the Rudd government around cybercast advertising on to rebuild the ABC’s creative capacity ABC Online. and to protect the multicultural Broadcasting is rapidly morphing purpose of SBS. into cybercasting. If you miss tonight’s Fairfax Holdings Ltd. We are told his Where does public broadcasting edition of The 7.30 Report, ABC TV Fairfax experience demonstrates that it stand with the change of government News, or any other ABC copyright is possible to separate church and state in Canberra? Please let us know, Mr program, soon you will be able to go – editorial from commercial. This was Rudd. In the meantime, those who to your computer and play the full rubbish at Fairfax and will be rubbish want the ABC to survive as an digital video at any time. People are at the ABC. adequately funded, independent, already watching the popular The Cybercast advertising at the ABC mainstream and non-commercial Chaser’s War on Everything and Four will be self-defeating. When push public broadcaster will have to fight Corners’ broadband editions through comes to shove in the pre-Budget hard. We must never get tired. their internet. Cabinet expenditure review There is nothing in the ABC Act to committee, treasury advisers will prevent the Newman board from monitor the ABC’s commercial revenue inserting advertising in and around Do you wish to and downwardly adjust the taxpayer this content. The spirit of the ABC Act, appropriation accordingly. contribute to Update? drafted in 1983 before the internet was The ABC board should have a invented, is clearly against advertising. If so, please observe the following But the board has helpful legal advice transition strategy [following the] Guidelines: change of government. It should be that because the act is silent on • All material should be submitted to the internet advertising, there is nothing telling the public just what the ABC editor Mal Hewitt email: in the act to prevent cybercast can do for Australia through the digital [email protected] advertising. (Lawyers. Don’t you just free-to-air multi-channel and • Articles submitted can only be accepted love ’em?). broadband revolution. The ABC could in Microsoft Word format, sent in as have an ABC Education division with a attachments to an email. If you don't The Howard government, through free-to-air English and other languages normally use Microsoft Word, you will find Communication Minister Coonan, you can 'Save As' into that format. channel, a technical and further [said it was] a matter for the ABC education channel, a dedicated • Please do not attempt to "format" or board. But the government had no indent or otherwise shape the word Australian-made children’s channel mandate from the Australian people to document, and in particular do not type a distort the existing funding base of the and other nation-building services "return" after any sentence, except at the ABC and, through the commercial which exploit this extraordinary and end of a paragraph. imperative this will create, its very exciting technology. But the new • Do not use double spacing. The text purpose. chairman has not said ‘boo’ on any should just flow normally. important topic of strategic Public broadcasters view their • Pictures should submitted in .JPG format importance to the ABC since his audiences as citizens in a democracy to as attachments to an email. appointment last year. be informed, engaged and challenged • If possible crop your photos before through innovative, high-quality and The current ABC board cannot be submission. comprehensive programming, not as relied on to advocate the cause of • To maintain the quality of images inserted consumers to be delivered up to independent public broadcasting. It is into Update, pictures should not be reduced in "file size" (the number of advertisers. in an ideological and party-political kilobytes). Just submit them in their original bog. If it is out to destroy the so-called Both the ABC and SBS boards will file size, after cropping. ABC culture, introducing advertising say enhanced commercial returns will • Ideally, pics should be greater than 300 mean more Australian programming. on the ABC should do the trick. The kilobytes, and depending on your camera This is superficially attractive. But what current threat is insidious. setup they may be several megabytes. sort of programming? Mark Scott, the Our minds must be clear. Labor • Picture captions are essential - add them ABC’s new managing director, is a policy … is to prohibit cybercast to the MS Word document submitted. former editorial director of John advertising, stop the party-political Refer the caption to the picture file name.
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STATE AND REGIONAL BRANCHES
National Web Portal Central Coast Illawarra Queensland – FABC links to all State Branches. John Hale Jan Kent (Secretary) Professor Alan Knight 21 Stephenson Rd Friends of the ABC Illawarra Creative Industries Faculty QUT Go to: Bateau Bay NSW 2261 PO Box 336, Unanderra 2526 GPO Box 2434 Brisbane 4001 www.friendsoftheabc.org.au Phone: 4333 8107 Phone/Fax: 4271 3531 [email protected] [email protected] New South Wales [email protected] [email protected] Mal Hewitt (President) FABC NSW Cowper Northern Rivers ACT – FABC Joyce Gardner (Secretary) PO Box 1391 North Sydney 2059 Neville Jennings Jill Greenwell FABC Cowper PO Box 1169 Phone: 9637 2900 PO Box 1484 Kingscliff 2487 GPO Box 2625 [email protected] Coffs Harbour NSW 2450 Phone: 6568 7532 Phone/Fax: 6674 3830 (H) Canberra ACT 2601 Albury [email protected] [email protected] Phone: 6253 3531 Jim Saleeba [email protected] Eastern Suburbs Orange 621 Lindsay Ave. Nizza Siano (Secretary) Bev Holland South Australia – FABC Albury NSW 2640 16 Holland Rd 26 Sunny South Crescent Joan Laing Phone: 6021 5690 Bellevue Hill NSW 2023 Orange NSW 2800 PO Box 7158 Hutt St [email protected] Phone/Fax: 9327 3423 Phone: 6362 4744 Adelaide SA 5000 [email protected] Armidale [email protected] Phone/FAX (08) 8271 0751 [email protected] Priscilla Connor Eurobodalla Parramatta 41 Judith Street Keith Simmons Mal Hewitt Western Australia – FABC Armidale NSW 2350 117 Beach Road 31 Queen St Granville 2142 Harry Cohen Phone: 6772 3454 or 6772 2217 Batehaven 2536 Phone: 9637 2900 PO Box 179 Phone: 4472 9898 [email protected] [email protected] Darlington WA 6070 [email protected] [email protected] Bathurst Port Macquarie/Mid North Coast Tracey Carpenter Great Lakes Drusi Megget [email protected] Marty Morrison (VP) 76 Havannah St PO Box 1752 PO Box 871 Tasmania – FABC Bathurst NSW 2795 Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Forster 2428 Melissa Sharpe Phone: 6331 8305 Phone: 6555 2442 Phone: 6583 8798 GPO Box 883 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Hobart TAS 7001 Phone: 0427 041 161 Blue Mountains Hunter Victoria – FABC [email protected] Bob Macadam Peter Brandscheid Friends of the ABC (Vic) 34 Lee Road c/o PO Box 265 GPO Box 4065 Winmalee NSW 2777 Merewether 2291 Melbourne VIC 3001 FABC RESOURCE CENTRE
Phone: 4754 1620 Phone: 4943 8076 Phone: (03) 9682 0073 Darce Cassidy
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