31329 ABC Covers 24/10/02 10:57 AM Page 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2001- 2002 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2001- 2002 31329 ABC Covers 24/10/02 10:57 AM Page 2 Contents The ABC Charter Letter of Transmittal 1 Section 6 of the Australian (ii) the standards from time to time ABC Vision, Mission and Values 2 Broadcasting Act 1983 determined by the Australian Significant Events 3 Broadcasting Authority (ABA) in Programs and Services 5 (1) The functions of the Corporation are – respect of broadcasting services; Board of Directors 8 (a) to provide within Australia innovative and (iii) the responsibility of the Corporation ABC Advisory Council 10 comprehensive broadcasting services of as the provider of an independent Executive Directors 11 a high standard as part of the Australian national broadcasting service ABC Organisation Chart 13 broadcasting system consisting of to provide a balance between Board of Directors Statement 14 national, commercial and community broadcasting programs of wide Audience Appreciation 18 sectors and, without limiting the generality appeal and specialised broadcasting Corporate Governance 20 of the foregoing, to provide: programs; National Interest Initiatives 24 Corporate Plan Performance Summary 25 (i) broadcasting programs that contribute (iv) the multicultural character of the Outcome 1 30 to a sense of national identity and Australian community; and Financial Summary 36 inform and entertain, and reflect the (v) in connection with the provision International Benchmarking 39 cultural diversity of, the Australian of broadcasting programs of The Year Ahead 41 community; an educational nature – the Radio 42 (ii) broadcasting programs of an responsibilities of the States in Television 51 educational nature; relation to education; and New Media 58 (b) to transmit to countries outside Australia ABC Asia Pacific 63 (b) the Corporation shall take all such broadcasting programs of news, current News and Current Affairs 66 measures, being measures consistent affairs, entertainment and cultural Production Resources 72 with the obligations of the Corporation enrichment that will: Development 75 under paragraph (a), as, in the opinion of Content Rights Management 79 (i) encourage awareness of Australia and the Board, will be conducive to the full Enterprises 82 an international understanding of development by the Corporation of Financial Services 84 Australian attitudes on world affairs; and suitable broadcasting programs. Human Resources 87 (ii) enable Australian citizens living or (3) The functions of the Corporation under Corporate Affairs 90 travelling outside Australia to obtain subsection (1) and the duties imposed on Technology and Distribution 95 information about Australian affairs and the Corporation under subsection Outcome 2 98 Australian attitudes on world affairs; and (2) constitute the Charter of the Outcome 3 102 Corporation. Subsidiaries 103 (c) to encourage and promote the musical, Independent Audit report 105 dramatic and other performing arts in (4) Nothing in this Section shall be taken Financial Statements 107 Australia. to impose on the Corporation a duty that Appendices 144 is enforceable by proceedings in a court. (2) In the provision by the Corporation of its broadcasting services within Australia – (a) the Corporation shall take account of – (i) the broadcasting services provided by the commercial and community sectors of the Australian broadcasting system; Designed and produced by Penfold Buscombe Office of Donald McDonald AO Chairman ABC Ultimo Centre 700 Harris Street Ultimo NSW 2007 4 October 2002 Australia GPO Box 9994 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel. +61 2 8333 5363 Fax.+61 2 8333 2967 abc.net.au Senator the Hon Richard Alston Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 The Board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is pleased to present the Annual Report of the Corporation for the year ended 30 June 2002 The report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983. ANNUAL REPORT PAGE 1 2001-2002 ABC Vision, Mission and Values Vision • Innovation and Creativity – striving for excellence in the development and Valued and integral to Australia’s culture. presentation of distinctive information Mission and cultural programming content Guided by the ABC Charter to engage our • Universal Access – ensuring that all audiences with an independent, distinctive Australians can access services that and appealing mix of programming and provide the knowledge required in a content, delivered via multi-platform services. modern information-based society Our Corporate Values • Our People – providing opportunities for our people to grow, personally and We will manage and conduct our business professionally, during their time with the in an effective, efficient and ethical manner, Corporation according to values we share in the Corporation. • Good Governance – demonstrating our accountability for the efficient and effective We value: use of public resources • The ABC – acting always to support the • Shared Commitment – accepting the role of a national public broadcaster in shared obligation to act responsibly and delivering valued outcomes for the with a commitment to fairness and justice Australian community • Courage – encouraging the leadership and • Editorial Excellence – aspiring to the vision to adapt to change with flexibility, highest standards of accuracy, impartiality integrity and decisiveness. and independence, in reflecting a balanced and broad range of views and interests through adherence to editorial policies and guidelines ANNUAL REPORT PAGE 2 [ABC VISION, MISSION AND VALUES] 2001-2002 Significant Events 2001 July 2001 September 2001 Sunday morning television national affairs Australian Capital Territory Television program Insiders started on air. 7pm News re-established and ACT Stateline launched. Prime Minister launched The Boyer Collection: Highlights of the Lectures 1959-2000, edited Regional Production Fund announced to by Donald McDonald. source radio and online content from independent artists and producers in Radio Australia Chinese Language Service regional Australia. joined forces with China’s fourth largest radio network, Radio Tianjin, in the first Australia- ABC Classic 100 Poll, an Australia wide China radio talkback program. listeners’ poll, held in conjunction with 24 Hours magazine to find Australia’s 100 A Readers Digest survey named the ABC as most popular pieces of classical music. providing the ‘Most Trusted News and Current Affairs in the Country’. First Gardening Australia Live expo held in Sydney. August 2001 October 2001 Fortieth anniversary of television weekly current affairs program, Four Corners ABC Enterprises launched the first issue of delicious, the ABC’s food magazine. Launch of ABC Kids the ABC’s and Australia’s first digital television multichannel. Federal Election campaign shot in widescreen (16:9) format. The Rage broadband service launched, offering music clips on demand via November 2001 ABC Online. Second digital television multichannel Fly Melbourne TV News and Current Affairs launched together with its companion transferred from Ripponlea to a fully integrated broadband service Fly Screen. multi-media newsroom at the ABC’s Managing Director, Jonathan Shier, left Southbank Centre. the ABC. New local radio programming strategy for regional Australia announced. December 2001 Celebration of one hundred years of radio with historic live broadcasts bringing together ABC Radio’s six networks for the first time. Fifty new regional program makers to be recruited under the Regional Expansion Project. ABC Asia Pacific began international television transmission, together with an Internet service providing an Australian perspective on the Asia-Pacific region. News Control Room Southbank Melbourne [SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ] ANNUAL REPORT PAGE 3 2001-2002 Significant Events 2002 January 2002 Beginning of six month initiative employing six development officers to encourage program ideas from areas outside the main capital city production centres. NSW bushfire crisis; the ABC provided essential community services through 702 ABC Sydney, 97.3 ABC Illawarra, ABC Central West, ABC South East and 666 ABC Canberra. Douglas Dimagi (at right), Breakfast Presenter, NBC PNG, with Pius Bonjui, Broadcaster, Pidgin Language Service, February 2002 Radio Australia A new ABC regional office opened at May 2002 Katherine in the Northern Territory. The ABC and Macquarie University launched NewsRadio began 24 hour transmission to the The Australian Word Map, an online project to Gold Coast on 95.7FM. collect regional words and sayings. Radio Australia agreement with National Radio National program Life Matters Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) of Papua celebrated 10 years on air. New Guinea to carry a number of English and Pidgin programs on the NBC’s national Russell Balding appointed ABC Managing network. Director. March 2002 June 2002 Foreign Correspondent celebrated ten years of First graduation ceremony and launch of the international reporting. ABC as a Registered Training Organisation. Radio Australia launched Time to Talk, a Introduction of the ABC’s first new digital bilingual (English and Pidgin) educational radio outside broadcast van. series and associated website on governance The weekday mornings television program issues in the Pacific region. Business Breakfast started on air. April 2002 The