Annual Report 2005-2006: Part 3 – ABC Divisions
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66 part of everyday life 67 “Virtually all of [Radio National’s] The Health Report with Norman programs you can access via Swan appeals to both specialist and mainstream audiences, setting their website as streaming health and medicine within social, radio or podcasts.” scientific and political contexts. It is broadcast on ABC Radio National Anthony D, Castlemaine, Victoria at 8.30am Mondays and both repeated and podcast. “The key thing is how much As more programs become [triple j has] influenced my life” available for podcasting and David G, Morisset, NSW vodcasting, listeners can catch the ABC programs that cater for their particular interests at times that suit their particular lifestyles. Collectors (8pm Friday ABC Television) Collecting is addictive whether it’s art deco or bottle tops. More than a showcase for collectables, this program offers practical hints and is an extraordinary expose of people’s curious habits and obsessions. At the Movies (10pm Wednesday on ABC Television and repeated) Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton combine a passion for cinema with decades of movie- going and an encyclopaedic knowledge of film history. Philosopher’s Zone (1.30pm Saturday on ABC Radio National, repeated and podcast) Presented by Alan Saunders, who studied Philosophy in Britain and at the Australian National University, 6:30pm the program looks at the world of philosophy and at walking the dog to the world through philosophy— both the simple questions of life The Health Report podcast and perplexing issues in contemporary society. 68 Sue Howard Director of Radio A passion for the wireless became a career when Sue Howard joined the ABC in 1986. She has presented programs on Radio National, ABC Classic FM and Local Radio and achieved some impressive firsts for the ABC, pioneering ABC Radio’s midnight-to-dawn shift, becoming the first woman to present a Breakfast program in 1993 and the first female Local Radio manager when taking on the combined metropolitan and regional management responsibilities in Victoria in 1996. Sue was appointed Head of Regional Services in 1996 and Director of Radio in 2000. She remains passionate about the wireless and is excited about its digital radio future. Sue holds a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University and a Diploma of Education. and podcasts. In June, ABC NewsRadio began ABC Radio podcasting Federal Parliament Question Time to coincide with the 60th anniversary In 2005–06, ABC Radio increased local of Parliamentary broadcasting. content for local audiences, strengthened its participation with Australian communities ABC Radio now distributes its programming and expanded the availability and reach of far more widely than its traditional radio its content on new platforms. broadcasting networks. Its content appears on radio, television and online, as well as in Using National Interest Initiatives (NII) print, on mobile phones and other emerging funding, ABC Local Radio introduced new platforms, and in a range of merchandise. Breakfast shifts from Port Lincoln, South Australia in September 2005 and from The Division constantly examines emerging Shepparton, Victoria in October 2005. These platforms and opportunities for its content will generate approximately 1 000 hours and is well positioned for the introduction of new local programming in a full year. of digital radio in 2009. ABC Classic FM introduced local news Distinctly Australian bulletins in each State, providing listeners In its fifth year, the ABC Radio Regional with local weather and traffic information Production Fund (RPF)—established with NII at peak times of the day. funding to showcase new talent in regional Australia—commissioned 125 hours of new Consistent with its essential role as an Australian content for ABC Radio networks, emergency broadcaster, Local Radio with a particular focus on projects which established a new national Manager of could be delivered to audiences on multiple Emergency Broadcasting and Community platforms. Interactive websites with online Development in April 2006 to coordinate the videos were commissioned to accompany network’s coverage of emergencies and several regional radio series and programs, further connexions with local communities. including The Wounding Song, The Last Outback Boxing Troupe, Where Can I Get In March 2006, 774 ABC Melbourne a Drink Around Here, From a Trickle to a commenced live online streaming. Throughout Roar: Stories from the Australian Alps and 2005–06, ABC Radio increased the amount of Kameruka. The latter three projects were its content available online as MP3 downloads also commissioned for screening on ABC2. 69 In 2006, following negotiations with the through August 2006. The competition will National Australia Day Council, ABC Local culminate in a national final broadcast direct Radio replaced Southern Cross Broadcasting from the Sydney Opera House in September as the major media partner of the Australian 2006. As well as prize money, the winning choir of the Year Awards. will receive a specially-commissioned new choral work to perform on ABC Classic FM. Australian Music In November 2005, triple j celebrated The 4th annual 1233 Newcastle Music Awards Australian Music Month, broadcasting were held in October 2005. The Awards exclusive live events on Live at the Wireless. provided support and airplay to emerging New and emerging Australian acts featured artists living in the NSW Hunter and Central on the network every day as part of triple j’s Coast regions and attracted 2 000 entries Next Crop initiative and its website offered in 23 categories, providing 400 new music podcasts of interviews and music from the tracks for the 1233 ABC Newcastle playlist. Next Crop artists and live performances and interviews from well-known Australian Regional artists discovered through the RPF’s bands. At the same time, listeners were 2004–05 Fresh Air competition featured in a invited to submit an “Ausmusic Mix” tape for series of regional concerts in all States and the a chance to program an hour of Australian Northern Territory to celebrate the Country music on the station. In December 2005, Hour 60th Anniversary. A second series of triple j announced the new J Awards for Best regional concerts showcasing emerging Australian Album, which are designed to regional artists was commissioned for 2006, reward outstanding achievement in Australian the first of which were held in Lameroo, music. The network also received funding South Australia, in April and Maryborough, from the Australia Council to develop a site Victoria, in May. for its unearthed project that will allow artists to upload their music to the site at Young jazz musicians from the Central any time and allow listeners to access the Queensland Conservatorium were offered music online. That site will be launched in the chance to play and perform with leading August 2006. jazz performers in a tour of eight Central Queensland regional centres. Approximately ABC Classic FM launched its inaugural Choir 9 000 people attended the performances of the Year competition. Auditions were held in June. The concerts were recorded for in each State and Territory and a series of broadcast on ABC Local Radio, dig and finals broadcast on ABC Classic FM from March ABC Classic FM. 05–06 ABC Local Radio covering the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne ANNUAL REPORT 20 70 four popular Australian acts, the concert ABC Radio continued was broadcast live across Australia. triple j’s Super Request program was presented live Australian Communities from the town and the current affairs and ABC Local Radio plays a vital role within talkback program Hack stationed a reporter the Australian community as an emergency in Port Pirie during the week to file stories broadcaster. In 2005–06, Local Radio staff from the region. participated in planning events with emergency services in all States and Territories around In February, approximately 40 small Australia in preparation for natural and other communities around Australia heard triple j disasters. Local Radio stations provided for the first time after applying for coverage of emergencies to affected audiences transmission through the federally-funded in many parts of the country, as described in self-help subsidy scheme. Over a week, The ABC in the Community (page 48). triple j’s Top Shelf presenter Robbie Buck welcomed listeners from these communities, Rural Radio’s Country Hour 60th Anniversary who were given first priority for requests Roadshow, which started in Rainbow, Victoria in the nightly Super Request program. To in May 2005, visited Oodnadatta in South celebrate the arrival of triple j in Broome, Australia, Cooktown in Queensland, Hyden Robbie Buck and Breakfast presenters Jay in Western Australia, Riana in Tasmania and and The Doctor broadcast live from Broome’s finished in Cumnock in Central West New Cable Beach Amphitheatre in June and South Wales in November. At each event, presented a concert by Australian hip-hop concerts supported by the RPF featured group Hilltop Hoods. well-known artists and regional talent “discovered” through the Fresh Air series. Cross-Media Innovation ABC Radio’s combined websites are estimated In 2005, ABC Classic FM cooperated with to reach 45% (May 2006) of the overall ABC the Music Council of Australia to launch the Online audience. The domestic networks, inaugural Flame Awards, to acknowledge as well as dig and dig jazz, are available on and reward the country’s best school music the Foxtel and Austar satellite subscription programs. The competition is open to all television platforms, while dig and dig jazz are primary and high schools across Australia broadcast on free-to-air digital television. dig and the judges consider how the wider and ABC Classic FM are available on digital school community is involved in helping radio trials in Sydney, along with ABC NewsRadio to create the right kind of environment for in Melbourne. triple j content is available on enthusiastic and effective music-making. mobile platforms and ABC Radio has increased Finalists from each State and Territory the amount of its content available online as receive $1 000 for the purchase of music MP3 downloads and podcasts.