Public Broad Casting Public Benefit

MediaHub Australia is the new digital playout facility co-owned by the ABC and WIN TV. PUBLIC BROAD CASTING PUBLIC BENEFIT Radio National’s Bush Telegraph presenter, Michael Cathcart records an interview with jillaroo Quita Docking and her mother Gladys in the Northern Territory. After suffering a severe head injury in a horse riding accident in 2002, Quita is back in the saddle for a charity horse ride to raise funds for people living with disabilities. 84 CORPORATE PERFORMANCE The ABC has a responsibility to the Australian people to not only deliver great media experiences, but to do it in a manner which is socially, environmentally and financially responsible. To meet those expectations, the ABC maintains high standards of corporate governance. MediaHub centralises the ABC’s presentation and Master Control Room facilities. Using state-of-the- art technology, the ABC’s content can be switched and routed from studios, outside broadcast vans and overseas news feeds, creating increased efficiency. Caption about transition from Section childrens programs to youth audienceGovernance and on to adult and programs. Caption about transition from childrens programssustainability to youth audience and on to adult programs. 4 As Australia’s primary public Corporate performance broadcaster, the ABC aims to broadcast to all Australians, and to tell Australian stories. Through ABC Open, it will be Corporate governance able to deliver more locally- focused information, as well as enable regional communities Performance against the to create and share content. ABC Corporate Plan In doing so, the ABC aims to provide a service that is both Government outcomes local and universal. Reconciliation Action Plan ABC Advisory Council Sustainability report CORPORATE PERFORMANCE 85 Corporate governance Th E ABC BOARd ANd MANAGEMENT apply Governance and management a corporate governance framework that aims to processes balance the ABC’s performance as a creative media Board Governance organisation, on the one hand, and its need to comply with the formal obligations of a statutory The ABC Board held seven meetings during 2009–10. corporation on the other. Throughout 2009–10, the In June 2010, the Board also attended the annual ABC gave particular attention to editorial quality strategy retreat with the Executive Leadership Group. assurance, self-regulation and building a values- based organisational culture. Janet Albrechtsen’s term as a director expired on 23 February 2010. On 3 June 2010, Ms Cheryl Bart AO ABC corporate objectives, strategies, policies was appointed to the Board for a five-year term. and activities derive from the requirements of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 The Audit and Risk Committee met on six occasions. (“ABC Act”). In particular, Section 6 of the Act— The Editorial Policies Committee and the human the ABC Charter—outlines the functions of the Resources Committee did not meet during 2009–10, as Corporation and Section 8 lays out the duties of the all pertinent matters were dealt with by the full Board. Board (see Appendix 1, page 172). The Act expressly The roles and responsibilities of the Board are described provides for both the editorial and administrative on page 12. Further information about the ABC Board independence of the Corporation, thereby and its Committees is provided in Appendices 5 and 6 investing the Board with considerable discretion. In (page 178). acknowledgement of that independence, the ABC accepts the obligation to meet the highest standards Management Processes of public accountability. The Managing director chairs a monthly meeting of the Executive Leadership Group, comprising divisional directors and the directors of specialist support units reporting to him. This group also convenes briefly each Monday morning, holds a two-day off-site strategic planning session in February each year and joins with the Board for an annual two-day strategy retreat. The Content Leadership Group meets monthly to focus on content development issues, including cross- platform opportunities, audience trends and branding. The Chief Operating Officer chairs the third monthly The ABC successfully engaged forum, the Operations Support Group, made up of with Government on a series of operations support divisions such as ABC Resources, major digital policy milestones Communication Networks, Business Services, People and decisions in 2009–10 to and Learning and Corporate Strategy and Marketing. Online activities are coordinated by a monthly Online ensure that the needs of national Executive Group, led by the director of Innovation and broadcasters are adequately consisting of the divisional heads responsible for online taken into account. content and services. Internal Audit Group Audit provides an independent and objective audit and advisory service which is designed to add value and improve the Corporation’s operations. Group Audit helps the ABC to achieve its objectives by bringing a systematic and disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. 86 CORPORATE PERFORMANCE In 2009–10, Group Audit completed scheduled Corporation’s risk management practices as audits which included comprehensive, compliance, “structured” (scoring 7.5 out of 10). This is a strong information technology, project assurance and follow- result compared to the average maturity level of both up audits. Group Audit also performed unscheduled Agencies Overall and of the ABC’s Peer Group. reviews at the specific request of management and Corporate Strategy Setting continued to use technology to undertake continuous auditing and monitoring of transactional data. As in Section 31A of the Australian Broadcasting previous years, Group Audit used a combination of Corporation Act 1983 requires the Board to develop in-house staff and external companies to provide the corporate plans that set out the strategic direction most appropriate industry experience and technical for the ABC. during the course of 2009–10, the ABC expertise. Group Audit also provided advice and developed a new three-year Strategic Plan for the guidance to ABC management and staff on good period 2010–13. governance, risk management, policies, and controls, Work on the Strategic Plan 2010–13 began after the as well as advice on a number of projects and initiatives annual Board and management off-site planning event of the Corporation. held on 15–16 June 2009 and reflects the thinking Further information is provided in Appendix 6 emerging from that event. (page 178). The Plan acknowledges the challenges and Fraud Control opportunities for the ABC created by the digital revolution sweeping through global media. The life In 2009–10, the ABC continued to implement its Fraud of the Plan corresponds to the period within which Control Plan 2008–10 to ensure the Corporation met Australia will substantially switch from analog to digital the requirements of the Commonwealth Fraud Control television broadcasting. Similarly, it is expected to Guidelines. witness a rise in access to high-speed and mobile The Managing director is satisfied that the ABC has in broadband. place appropriate procedures and processes relating To continue to meet public expectations of its role as to fraud prevention, detection, investigation, reporting 4 Australia’s primary national public broadcaster in this and data collection, and that these comply with the changing environment, the ABC will continue to build Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines. its capabilities as a digital broadcaster, deliver great Risk Management media experiences to its audiences and ensure its sustainability for the future. The ABC’s Business Continuity program operates within the Corporation’s broader governance and The Strategic Plan 2010–13 commits the ABC to risk management framework to enhance emergency striving to maintain its leadership position as an coordination, crisis management and business innovative and independent media organisation continuity planning and processes. serving the needs of all Australians. It sets out six high-level strategic goals for the ABC: The ABC has completed the three-year project to implement recommendations from an external risk Audience-focused—to provide a range of media management benchmarking review conducted in 2006, experiences to meet the needs and expectations of which involved development and implementation of the diverse audiences ABC’s Risk Management Policy and Framework. An High-quality—to consistently deliver content Executive Risk Committee was established to provide which reflects the ABC’s commitment to quality, a forum for senior managers to discuss and respond independence and high editorial standards to risk management issues, from both a whole-of- Corporation perspective and within each division. Innovative—to pursue new ideas, opportunities and Comprehensive risk profiling and training exercises partnerships, and grow its capabilities for the future were undertaken, and risk profiles are developed on an Values-based—to demonstrate ABC Values in every annual basis. aspect of its work The Comcover 2010 Risk Management Benchmarking Efficient—to maximise the efficient and effective use survey of 130 Government agencies rated the of resources CORPORATE PERFORMANCE 87 Corporate governance Responsible—to be visible and active in the Freedom of Information community, setting high standards of social, The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (“FOI Act”) environmental and regulatory responsibility. gives the public

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