Australian Broadcasting Corporation annual report 1996–97 oneABC charter The functions and duties which Parliament contents has given to the ABC are set out in the Charter of the Corporation (ss6(1) and (2) of Corporate Profile the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983). ABC Charter inside cover 6(1) The functions of the Corporation are — One ABC 1 (a) to provide within Australia innovative and comprehensive Significant events 2 broadcasting services of a high standard as part of the ABC Services 4 Australian broadcasting system consisting of national, commercial and community sectors and, without limiting the Financial Summary 5 generality of the foregoing, to provide— ABC Board Members 7 (i) broadcasting programs that contribute to a sense of One ABC Structure 8 national identity and inform and entertain, and reflect the cultural diversity of, the Australian community; and Executive Members 9 (ii) broadcasting programs of an educational nature; Statement by Directors 10 (b) to transmit to countries outside Australia broadcasting Review of Operations 15 programs of news, current affairs, entertainment and cultural enrichment that will— News and Current Affairs 15 (i) encourage awareness of Australia and an international Regional Services 18 understanding of Australian attitudes on world affairs; and Feature (ii) enable Australian citizens living or travelling outside Radio and Television Audiences 24 Australia to obtain information about Australian affairs and National Networks 27 Australian attitudes on world affairs; and Program Production 44 (c) to encourage and promote the musical, dramatic and other performing arts in Australia. Enterprises 46 6(2) In the provision by the Corporation of its broadcasting Concerts 49 services within Australia — Human resources 54 (a) the Corporation shall take account of— Finance & business (i) the broadcasting services provided by the commercial and services 58 community sectors of the Australian broadcasting system; Technology strategy & (ii) the standards from time to time determined by the development 62 Australian Broadcasting Authority in respect of broadcasting services; Corporate Management 65 (iii) the responsibility of the Corporation as the provider of Financial Statements 73 an independent national broadcasting service to provide a balance between broadcasting programs of wide appeal and Program Performance specialised broadcasting programs; Statement 99 (iv)the multicultural character of the Australian community; Appendices 100 and (v) in connection with the provision of broadcasting programs of an educational nature — the responsibilities of This Annual Report is available on the the States in relation to education; and World Wide Web, follow the About ABC (b) the Corporation shall take all such measures, being measures link on ABC Online (www.abc.net.au) consistent with the obligations of the Corporation under paragraph (a), as, in the opinion of the Board, will be conducive to the full development by the Corporation of suitable broadcasting programs. This year the ABC Board and management embarked on a far reaching review of activities, culminating in major initiatives to restructure the Corporation and further improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Together these initiatives will help to ensure that the ABC retains a position of national creative leadership. The national public broadcaster operates in a fast-changing media environment, characterised by rapid expansion in the number of available channels, an increasing volume of foreign programming and a trend to the concentration of media ownership. In the emerging environment, the ABC remains vital to media diversity in Australia. The ABC’s new organisation structure, referred to as One ABC, allows the Corporation to focus its energies more clearly on what it does best – the making and delivery of quality program content for use across the electronic media – radio, television and online. Significantly, the ABC has boosted its commitment to localism by creating the Regional Services portfolio to serve the needs of local audiences throughout metropolitan, regional and rural Australia. And it is in the ABC process of streamlining and restructuring strategic and business support functions to ensure they meet the highest standards of efficiency, cost- effectiveness and quality of service. The ABC has more clearly differentiated its role as a producer and broadcaster from that of operating symphony orchestras. Agreement with the Federal and State Governments was reached to begin a phased process of corporatisation of five ABC symphony orchestras. The sixth orchestra, the Sydney Symphony, had been incorporated as an ABC subsidiary in February 1996. During 1996–97, the Corporation prepared to restructure the ownership of Australia Television and its assets, in line with a Government announcement in July. The Government also announced it would reduce its financial commitment to public broadcasting and sought independent advice on the Corporation – the Review of the Role and Functions of the ABC by Mr Bob Mansfield. When Mr Mansfield presented his report in January, he re-affirmed the importance of the ABC in the evolving multi-channel environment: ‘There is little evidence that the market will provide the breadth and mix of services offered by the ABC on a national basis.’ one 1 July 1996 • Donald McDonald AO appointed ABC Chairman. • Announcement by Senator the Hon Richard Alston, Minister for Communications and the Arts, of a $11m cut to ABC base funding in 1996–97 and a further $55m pa cut for the triennium starting 1997–98. • Government announces a Review of the Role and Functions of the ABC to be conducted by Mr Bob Mansfield. • Thirtieth anniversary of Playschool. • ABC Online service voted ‘Best Australian Website’ at AusWeb ’96. • Death of Alan McGilvray, the voice of cricket. August • Coverage of Atlanta Olympics by ABC Radio networks and Paralympic Games on television and radio. • Thirty-fifth anniversary of Four Corners, Australia’s longest running Current Affairs program. • Relaunch of ABC Online marking its first twelve months of operation. events • Morning news program First Edition ceases production due to budget cuts. September • Adelaide Symphony Orchestra undertakes its first international tour to Hong Kong, China, Korea and Singapore. • ABC Board announces radio programming cuts to take effect from January 1997. • Managing Director announces new structure bringing together Radio and Television News and Current Affairs within a single portfolio. October • Barbara Scott from western NSW, named Rural Woman of the Year. • Sydney Symphony Orchestra tours Japan and significant Taiwan. • 100 000 attend ABC open day at the Sydney Cricket Ground. • ABC makes formal submission to the Mansfield Review. 2 19 corporate profile November March • Federal Government announces funding of • Parliamentary and News Network is extended the ABC Science Development Project for a to Darwin – NewsRadio is now heard in all range of science broadcasting and online capital cities and Newcastle. activities. • Inaugural Andrew Olle Scholarship, to nurture • The 1996 Boyer Lecture Series, The View From young journalistic talent within the ABC, The Bridge: Aspects of Culture, by Pierre awarded to Bronwyn Adcock from Radio Ryckmans, is broadcast on Radio National. Current Affairs. • Radio Australia temporarily expands Tok Pisin December broadcasts due to crisis in Papua New Guinea. • Board announcement of new One ABC • Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs with structure, replacing media-based divisions the Three Tenors in their only Australian with National Networks, Regional Services, concert. News and Current Affairs, Program Production and three support portfolios. April • ABC and Cultural Ministers Council reach • The first ABC Science Week includes diverse agreement on major restructuring of the ABC science programming on ABC radio, television orchestral network, including formation of and online networks. Symphony Australia. • Stage Two of Triple J’s regional expansion May project is completed. • 1997 Federal Budget provides some relief • Final episode of G.P. after its eighth season from funding cuts announced in July. on ABC Television • ABC confirms that Federal Budget means staffing will need to be reduced by a further January 1997 700 positions in 1997–98. • The report of the review of the ABC by Mr • Announcement of changes to Television Mansfield, The challenge of a better ABC, is programming resulting from 1996–97 budget released. cuts. • ABC Contemporary Music awarded ten Golden • Cessation of Radio Australia’s Thai Guitars at the Country Music Awards. rebroadcasts due to budget cuts. • New radio line-ups include eight new Radio • Report of the Senate Inquiry into the Role National programs and a new line-up on and Future of Radio Australia and Australia Metropolitan Stations. Television released, recommending Australia Television not be sold and Radio Australia’s February operations continue. • Broadcast of Frontier, a ABC Television documentary series with a companion double June CD-Rom and a website which included • Final broadcasts of Radio Australia’s French moderated live forums. and Cantonese services and closure of Cox • Swoon II debuts at Number One on the ARIA Peninsula transmitter facilities due to budget Classical Chart. cuts. • ABC makes formal submission to Senate • Fiftieth anniversary of independent ABC news Committee on amendments to service. Telecommunications Bill. 96–973 servicesabc National Networks Regional