Introduction A U S T R A L I A N B R O A D C A S T I N G A U T H O R I TY annual report Sydney 1997 1 Annual Report 1996-97 © Commonwealth of Australia, 1997 ISSN 1320-2863 Design by Media and Public Relations Australian Broadcasting Authority Printed in Australia by Printing Headquarters, Broadway, NSW 2008 For inquiries about this report, contact: Publications Officer Australian Broadcasting Authority at address below For inquiries about information to be made available to Members of Parliament and Senators on request, contact: Director Corporate Services Branch Australian Broadcasting Authority at address below For inquiries relating to Freedom of Information, contact: FOI Officer Australian Broadcasting Authority Level 15, 201 Sussex Street Sydney NSW 2000 Ph. (02) 9334 7700 Fax: (02) 9334 7799 Postal address: PO Box Q500 Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230 E-mail:
[email protected] Web site: http://www.dca.gov.au/aba/hpcov.htm 2 Introduction Reserved for letter of transmission 3 Annual Report 1996-97 4 Introduction Table of contents Page no. Letter of transmission 3 Introduction to the report 7 The year in review 8 Corporate overview 16 Performance reporting: Objective 1 — Expert advice 23 International liaison 24 Advice to the government 30 Digital terrestrial television broadcasting 30 Digital radio broadcasting 31 The sixth television channel 32 External liaison 34 Objective 2 — Planning the spectrum 45 Final licence area plans – radio 46 Final licence area plans – television 53 Objective 3 — Licence allocations 56 Allocation of commercial