Report of into the effects Report into the effects of Government Government Funded National Broadcasting Funded National Broadcasting on Victoria on Victoria May 1999 Economic Development Committee Parliament of Victoria May 1999 ** Note: Spine based on 200pp document and may need to be adjusted Front cover design by Colorbox Design Group Cartoon courtesy of Ron Tandberg/The Age ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FINAL REPORT Inquiry into the Effects of Government- Funded National Broadcasting on Victoria ORDERED TO BE PRINTED MAY 1999 by Authority. Government Printer for the State of Victoria No. 49 - Session 1998/99 2 Parliament of Victoria Economic Development Committee Report into the Effects of Government-Funded National Broadcasting on Victoria. ISBN 0-7311-5264-6 REPORT INTO THE EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTING ON VICTORIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Members Hon. C.A. Strong, M.L.C. (Chairman) Mr P. Batchelor, M.P. (Deputy Chairman) Hon. R.H. Bowden, M.L.C. Mr G.P. Jenkins, M.P. Mr M.A. Leighton, M.P. Mr H. Lim, M.P. Mrs D.F. McGill, M.P. Hon. P. Power, M.L.C. Mr D.L. Treasure, M.P. Staff Mr R.Willis, Executive Officer Ms A. Morgan, Office Manager/Research Assistant Mr C. Collins, Research Officer The Committee’s Address is: Level 8 35 Spring Street MELBOURNE 3000 Telephone: (03) 9651-3592 Facsimile: (03) 9651-3691 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.parliament.vic.gov.au/edevc VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE i REPORT INTO THE EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTING ON VICTORIA Economic Development Committee Standing - left to right Mr Charles Collins (Research Officer); Mr Richard Willis (Executive Officer); Mr Hong Lim, MP; Mr Michael Leighton, MP; Hon. Pat Power, MLC; Ms Anne Morgan (Office Manager); Mr David Treasure, MP. Seated - left to right Hon. Ron Bowden, MLC; Mr Peter Batchelor, MP (Deputy Chairman); Hon. Chris Strong, MLC (Chairman); Mrs Denise McGill, MP; and Mr Paul Jenkins, MP. ii VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE REPORT INTO THE EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTING ON VICTORIA VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE iii REPORT INTO THE EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTING ON VICTORIA TABLE OF CONTENTS MEMBERS AND STAFF OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ......................I TERMS OF REFERENCE .............................................................................................................VII EXTENSION OF REPORTING DATE........................................................................................ VIII REQUEST TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA ............................................................................................................................ IX CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD...................................................................................................XIIIIII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................................XVIII PART ONE: INQUIRY OVERVIEW .....................................................................................3 PART TWO: REPORT CHAPTER 1: ROLE AND ADEQUACY OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTING SERVICES ..................................................31 1.1 FUNCTION AND DUTIES OF ABC AND SBS .............................................................................31 1.2 OVERVIEW OF ABC SERVICES...............................................................................................32 1.3 OVERVIEW OF SBS SERVICES................................................................................................36 1.4 PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTERS ...........................................37 1.5 CHARTER RESPONSIBILITY OF ABC AND SBS ........................................................................47 1.6 NEED FOR REVIEW OF ABC AND SBS CHARTERS...................................................................49 CHAPTER 2: CENTRALISATION OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTING SERVICES..........................................................................53 2.1 CENTRALISATION OF THE ABC..............................................................................................53 2.2 CENTRALISATION OF SBS......................................................................................................55 2.3 WHY THE NEED FOR DE-CENTRALISATION? ...........................................................................55 2.4 CENTRALISATION OF AUSTRALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS .................................................56 2.5 CENTRALISATION OF THE ABC ORGANISATION STRUCTURE AND DECISION MAKING ..............58 CHAPTER 3: THE FUTURE OF ABC TELEVISION PRODUCTION .................................69 3.1 BACKGROUND TO THE COMMITTEE’S MARCH 1999 DISCUSSION PAPER ..................................69 3.2 FUTURE OF TELEVISION PRODUCTION IN MELBOURNE IN LIGHT OF SYDNEY EXPANSION .........69 3.3 FUTURE MELBOURNE OPTIONS..............................................................................................70 3.4 COMMITTEE’S DISCUSSION PAPER .........................................................................................72 3.5 ABC’S RESPONSE TO THE DISCUSSION PAPER ........................................................................75 iv VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE REPORT INTO THE EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTING ON VICTORIA CHAPTER 4: EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ABC ...................................83 4.1 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET CUTS .................................................................................83 4.2 EFFICIENCY OF THE ABC.......................................................................................................86 4.3 EFFECTIVENESS OF ABC MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE AND DECISION MAKING ........................93 CHAPTER 5: SBS MELBOURNE OPERATIONS..................................................................99 5.1 SBS MELBOURNE’S MOVE TO FEDERATION SQUARE..............................................................99 5.2 CONCERNS RAISED BY SBS MELBOURNE STAFF ..................................................................102 CHAPTER 6: ABC TELEVISION ARTS PRODUCTION....................................................105 6.1 BACKGROUND.....................................................................................................................105 6.2 DETAILED EVIDENCE ON THE EXPRESS PROGRAM .................................................................108 6.3 THE FUTURE OF ABC TELEVISION ARTS PRODUCTION .........................................................113 6.4 DETAILED EVIDENCE ON THE BETWEEN THE LINES PROGRAM................................................115 CHAPTER 7: NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS BROADCASTING.................................123 7.1 IMPORTANCE OF NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS BROADCASTING ..........................................123 7.2 CONCENTRATION OF NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS RESOURCES IN SYDNEY .........................123 7.3 LACK OF LOCAL NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMMING ...........................................126 7.4 EVIDENCE RELATING TO THE NEED FOR LOCAL NEWS AND ....................................................... CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMMING......................................................................................131 CHAPTER 8: REGIONAL SERVICES.................................................................................141 8.1 IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL SERVICES..................................................................................141 8.2 DEFINITION OF REGIONAL SERVICES....................................................................................142 8.3 NEED FOR MORE REGIONAL RADIO STATIONS IN VICTORIA..................................................143 8.4 REGIONAL PROGRAMMING ..................................................................................................146 8.5 WEATHER FORECASTS.........................................................................................................147 8.6 TRANSMISSION SERVICES ....................................................................................................148 CHAPTER 9: DRAMA PROGRAMMING ...........................................................................151 9.1 ABC’S COMMITMENT TO DRAMA PRODUCTION AND ASSOCIATED FACILITIES IN VICTORIA...151 9.2 ABC TV DRAMA SERIES WILDSIDE......................................................................................154 9.3 SBS INDEPENDENT DRAMA PRODUCTIONS...........................................................................157 CHAPTER 10: YOUTH MUSIC..............................................................................................161 10.1 TRIPLE J .............................................................................................................................161 10.2 YOUTH MUSIC ON TELEVISION ............................................................................................164 CHAPTER 11: BUSINESS PROGRAMMING .......................................................................167 11.1 THE NEED FOR ABC BUSINESS PROGRAMMING....................................................................167 VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE v REPORT INTO THE EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED NATIONAL BROADCASTING ON VICTORIA CHAPTER 12: DIGITAL BROADCASTING .........................................................................169