Investing in Audiences – ABC Annual Report 2017 – Volume 2
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INVESTING IN VOLUME II VOLUME AUDIENCES ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Carolyn Duchene in Art Bites: The Glass Bedroom We make content for all Australians, about all Australians. HOW WE OPERATE RESPONSIBILITY ACCOUNTABILITY Editorial quality 4 Corporate Corporate Responsibility 30 Governance 54 Infrastructure and Operations 8 Corporate Responsibility Bonner Committee 62 in a Broadcasting People 12 ABC Advisory Context 34 Council 66 Work Health Environmental and Safety 18 Responsibility 38 Corporate Services 22 Social Responsibility 44 ii AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017 In Volume I you will find: Who we are Where to find us What we do Transformation Audience Metrics Index Chico Wanybarrnga, Dino Wanybarrnga, Jerome Lilypiyana and ANNUAL PERFORMANCE Joseph Smith in Black As. Image: Rebel Films STATEMENTS ABC Annual Performance Statements 2016–17 70 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 80 APPENDICES 134 COMPLIANCE INDEX 186 190 INDEX Contents 1 How we operate Anh’s Brush with Fame 2 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017 How we operate The ABC provides extraordinary content for Australians by building an engaged, operate creative and innovative workforce that reflects and supports the broader community How we operate 3 Editorial quality The ABC Editorial Policies are principles and standards applied across the Corporation, to ensure continuous high-quality output and performance. Editorial reviews and the ABC’s responses are published on the ABC’s corporate website: http://about.abc.net.au/how-the-abc-is-run/ what-guides-us/our-editorial-policies/ ABC Editorial Policies Management of The ABC Editorial Policies and associated editorial matters guidance outline the principles and set the In April 2016, the role that had previously standards that govern ABC content, and are overseen editorial matters was expanded to a day-to-day reference for content makers. Editorial Director, to ensure a more centralised They are critical to the ABC’s ability to meet approach to the dissemination of editorial advice. its statutory obligations and the expectations of audiences. They also form the basis of the The Editorial Director is responsible for setting ABC Code of Practice, which the ABC provides editorial standards, overseeing the continuous to the industry regulator, the Australian development and revision of those standards, Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). and providing editorial advice and guidance for all content areas of the ABC. The Editorial In addition, they give practical shape to Director also oversees the independent statutory obligations in the ABC Act, in investigation of editorial complaints, provides particular the obligations to: provide services advice and assistance to the Managing Director of a high standard; maintain independence on all editorial issues, and reports to the ABC and integrity; and ensure that the gathering Board on compliance with editorial standards. and presentation of news and information is accurate and impartial according to the recognised standards of objective journalism. 4 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Beverley O’Connor presents The World In July 2016, the Editorial Policies team was Review of editorial expanded to include a new dedicated training and quality manager. The position was filled performance, principles by Linda Mottram, a highly experienced and standards ABC journalist with a strong record of accomplishment across News and Radio as Editorial Reviews a reporter, producer, foreign correspondent, and presenter. The new position helped In December 2013, then ABC Chairman James drive increased editorial training across Spigelman announced that the ABC would the organisation. embark on a regular series of independent editorial reviews as part of the Board’s The Editorial Policy Group, chaired by the responsibility to monitor the quality and integrity Editorial Director, brings together editorial of ABC content, with particular reference policy specialists and other senior employees to section 4 of the ABC Editorial Policies from content-making divisions, Legal, and (Impartiality and diversity of perspectives). Audience and Consumer Affairs. It is responsible for providing advice to the Corporation in The reviews involve an assessment of selected relation to the interpretation and application ABC content by an independent external of the ABC Editorial Policies, and the ongoing reviewer. Each reviewer is asked to assess review and revision of those policies. On a content against a range of criteria, including day-to-day basis, editorial advice is provided different aspects of the ABC Editorial Policies by editorial policy specialists within each and other yardsticks of quality. content-making division, following the longstanding procedure for upward referral. How we operate 5 In 2016-17, one review commissioned in the Editorial guidance previous year was completed: There were no changes made to the ABC Editorial Review No. 9 – Review of selected Editorial Policies or the ABC Code of Practice coverage of the proposed Shenhua coal mine during 2016–17. on ABC television, radio and online (8 July 2015 – 1 March 2016), conducted by Mark Skulley. However, the Editorial Policy Group, chaired by the Editorial Director, issued a range of Two reviews were commissioned and completed: new or revised guidance notes to assist Editorial Review No. 10 – Review of the coverage journalists and content makers in upholding of the industrial dispute between the United editorial standards: Firefighters Union and the Country Fire • New guidance on editorial conflicts Authority by selected ABC news and current associated with External Work (July 2016) affairs platforms (1 June 2016 – 30 August 2016), conducted by Paul Austin. • New guidance on external funding for Australia Plus (international) (Sept 2016) Editorial Review No. 11 – Review of selected • Revised guidance for advertising and ABC NEWS and regional program coverage sponsorship on Australia Plus (Sept 2016) of proposed changes to backpacker tax arrangements (15 August 2016 – 2 December • Revised guidance on managing Official Social 2016), conducted by Garry Bailey. Media Accounts (July 2016) • Revised guidance on advertising and The editorial reviews and ABC responses to sponsorship for Commercial (Nov 2016) those reviews are published on the ABC’s corporate website: http://about.abc.net.au/how- • Revised guidance on filming using drones the-abc-is-run/what-guides-us/our-editorial- (Nov 2016) policies/ Details on these, and all editorial policies and guidance, can be found at: https://edpols/abc.net.au/ 6 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Corrections and clarifications For state and territory elections, external share of voice data is not commissioned, The ABC publishes a Corrections and but the ECRC monitors internal records and Clarifications page on its corporate website feedback to ensure editorial balance. Audience which brings together in one place the complaints regarding election coverage are corrections and clarifications made to ABC also monitored and reviewed by the Committee. content across radio, television and digital Further, the Chair of the ECRC is responsible for platforms, whether as a result of complaints administering the free broadcast time allocated or for any other reason. Where possible, links to eligible political parties. Broadcast slots to the original content are provided. are provided on television and radio for policy announcements by political parties who meet In 2016–17, 41 corrections or clarifications were the eligibility criteria.1 published on the Corrections and Clarifications page on ABC Online. Where online transcripts Editorial Coverage Review Committees were existed, Editor’s Notes and corrections to copy active four times during 2016–17: were also published. • The ECRC set up during 2015–16 continued its work in relation to the Federal Election Election coverage review held in July 2016. The Election Coverage Review Committee • Separate ECRCs were also established (ECRC) is convened during each federal, for the Northern Territory (August 2016), state or territory election campaign to Australian Capital Territory (October 2016) monitor ABC coverage and ensure ABC and Western Australia (March 2017) elections. editorial standards are met. The Committee The outcome of the share of voice and is chaired by the Editorial Director and complaints monitoring for the 2016 Federal comprises representatives from all relevant Election was included in the previous Annual ABC divisions. It is principally a committee of Report. A more detailed report can also be review and does not supplant the usual lines found on the ABC website at: http://about.abc. of editorial authority in each division during net.au/reports-publications/abc-coverage-of- an election campaign. the-2016-federal-election-ecrc-chairs-report/ For federal elections, the ECRC review the externally commissioned share of voice data to ensure appropriate editorial balance is maintained and no single political party is disproportionately represented. This is done while recognising there is a range of factors which can and will affect the amount of time or share of voice of each party. How we operate 7 Infrastructure and Operations The ABC’s infrastructure In 2016–17, and operations teams create and support productive, robust, resilient places of work. 109 projects with a combined budget allowance of $467 MILLION, comprised the capital program across the ABC Technology the Integrated Media System,