Equity Diversity Annual Report 1998-1999

1938 ABCO Cover 24/02/2000 12:27 PM Page 2 Annual Report EQUITY AND1998 DIVERSITY - 1999 1998 - 1999 1998Annual1998 Report- 1999 - 1999 Annual ANNUAL1998 Report- 1999 REPORT Annual Report 19 1998 - 1999 Annual Report Equal Employment Opportunity Report to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts 1938 ABCO EEO An Report 10/9 24/02/2000 12:24 PM Page 1 contents Introduction 04 Overview 05 Equity & Diversity Management Plan 1998-2002 11 Equity & Diversity Activities 1998-99 14 Human Resources Policies & Activities 19 Gender 23 Indigenous People 27 Cultural Diversity 30 Annual Report EQUITY 1998AND DIVERSITY - 1999 1998 - 1999 Annual Report1998 - 1999 People With Disabilities 33 Annual1998 Report1998 - 1999 - Annual 1999 Report ANNUAL REPORT 19 1998 - 1999 Annual Report Work and Life 36 Portfolio Reports 38 Local and Regional Services 38 National Networks 41 News and Current Affairs 49 Program Production 51 Finance and Business Services 53 Technology Strategy and Development 55 ABC Enterprises 56 Corporate Planning and Communications 57 Australian Broadcasting Corporation Subsidiaries 58 Equal Employment Opportunity Report to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts page03 1938 ABCO EEO An Report 10/9 24/02/2000 12:17 PM Page 2 Equity & diversity annual report Overview 1998 - 1999 Annual1998 - 1999Report Annual Report 1998 - 1999 Annual Report 1998 - 1999 Annual Report 1998 - 1999 Annual Report 1998 - 1999 Annual1998 Report - 1999 1998 - 1999 Annual Report1998 - 1999 Annual Report The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the national broadcaster established as a statutory During the 1998-99 year the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) updated its Corporate Plan corporation under the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 (the ABC Act). The ABC Act to cover the period 1999-2000 and 2001-02. The plan includes a new statement, vision, values and which includes the ABC Charter sets out the basic functions and duties of the Corporation. key objectives to assist the organisation to progress in the changing broadcasting environment, leading to and into the new millennium. As a Commonwealth authority employer, the ABC is bound by the provisions of the Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the The ABC alongside the commercial and community sectors has played a central role in the delivery Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 and the of services to all Australians, catering to the diversity of audience interests. It is valued for its Disability Discrimination Act 1992. comprehensive range of services, delivering programs which on the one-hand appeal to a broad audience, and on the other meet specialist interests. Also it is valued for its ability to reflect and This report is made under the provisions of Section 9(2) of the Equal Employment Opportunity encourage the full range of cultural endeavours and aspirations of the nation. (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987. The reporting period covers 1 September 1998 to 31 August 1999. The turn of the century brings challenges to the broadcasting industry unprecedented since the In 1998 a major review of the management of Equal Employment Opportunity in the ABC was introduction of television. The next great technology advance, digital broadcasting, will bring with it undertaken, including a summary and recommendations, which formed the basis of the new ABC opportunities for more programming choice, greater interactivity, more immediacy, vastly improved Equity and Diversity Management Plan 1998-2002. Details of the new Plan are included in quality of service and new media forms. this report. The ABC will respond by harnessing the full range of its existing skills across radio, television and online and its extensive network of creative and production resources in 57 locations across Australia. There will be a growing need for the ABC to provide both a distinctive and an Australian contribution to the broadcasting, information and entertainment industries. The presence of the ABC in this environment is a fundamental guarantee of media and cultural diversity. The ABC had changed to a new structure over the past three years, referred to as the One ABC, which has allowed the Corporation to focus on the making and delivery of programs for broadcast across radio, television and online, with the support of strategic and business functions. The organisational structure of the ABC has not significantly changed during the past twelve months: • National Networks Portfolio and Local and Regional Services Portfolio, responsible for the commissioning of programs and broadcasting services in radio, television and multimedia; • In-house content providers, News and Current Affairs Portfolio and Program Production Portfolio, which produce programs as required by National Networks and Local and Regional Services; • Finance and Business Services, Human Resources and Technology Strategy and Development Portfolios, providing strategic and business support services across the ABC; • Corporate Planning and Communications; • ABC Enterprises; and • The ABC’s subsidiary companies. Included in the subsidiary companies are the state-based orchestras which have been corporatised. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra had been incorporated as an ABC subsidiary in February 1996 while both the Adelaide and Melbourne orchestras were incorporated in July 1997 along with the former ABC Concerts National Office, which has become Symphony Australia. In January 1998 the West Australian Symphony Orchestra was incorporated. Queensland and Tasmania have not yet become incorporated. In this report the orchestras’ statistical data is reported separately in the Subsidiaries section. page4 page5 1938 ABCO EEO An Report 10/9 24/02/2000 12:17 PM Page 4 The new Corporate Plan provides a vision for the ABC: Objective Four: Expanding Services to Local and Regional Communities. In the new century, the ABC will build on its strengths as an independent public broadcaster to The new digital environment offers opportunities to extend the ABC’s relevance to Australian enrich the lives of all Australians by offering a greater choice of programs that inform, educate and communities through multichanneling, datacasting and the continued development of ABC online. entertain. The ABC will play a leading role in developing innovative new services of increased relevance, localism and immediacy. To realise these opportunities, the ABC must be in a position to better identify audience needs and community interests across Australia and to allow local, as well as national, responses to those needs. In achieving this vision, the ABC values: It will also need effective planning for the deployment of resources and the development of skills around Australia. • the guiding principles of the Charter and the ABC Act; • the loyalty of audiences and the ABC’s connection to local communities and communities of Objective Five: Developing Efficiency and Effectiveness. interest in Australia and the region; • the ABC’s central place in the broadcasting and online environments in Australia’s cultural Productivity improvements are a prerequisite for the development of ABC programs and services in community; the new media environment. Optimum management of its resources will allow the ABC to deliver an • public funding of the ABC and the prohibition on advertising and sponsorship; expanding range of digital services. • the ABC’s standards of fairness, accuracy and impartiality; and • the skills and commitment of ABC employees and its contributors. The ABC continues to review its Editorial Policies document which provides a range of policies including references to: There are five key objectives included in the Corporate Plan. • Cultural Diversity (Section 6) - cultural diversity and national identity, a multicultural community, Objective One: Fulfilling the Charter and Other Responsibilities under the ABC Act. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Programs and reporting from overseas. • International Broadcasting Services (Section 7) - International services, cultural perspectives, The Charter requires the ABC to deliver services of a high standard, which: guidelines for international reportage and editorial perspectives. • Program Standards (Section 9) - Use of language, discrimination and stereotypes, sex and sexuality, • are innovative and distinctive; religious programs and closed captioning for people who are hearing impaired or deaf. • contribute to a sense of national identity and reflect the cultural diversity of the Australian community; The Editorial Policies also outline a list of principles (Section 2.5.2.). • provide an Australian perspective on events and issues; • are comprehensive and provide a balance between programs of wide-appeal specialised programs; The ABC will be guided by the following principles: • inform, entertain, and educate; • encourage and promote the musical, dramatic and other performing arts in Australia; and • be identifiably Australian and be a distinctive, innovative broadcaster, with a mix of broad appeal • are broadcast domestically and overseas. and specialist programs; • extend the range of ideas and experiences available to Australians; Objective Two: Transforming ABC Services in the Digital Age. • strive to be a valued part of Australian life; • provide the best, most reliable and independent coverage and analysis of contemporary Within the legislative framework

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