through australian eyes The National Broadcaster through australian eyes Eric Campbell ANNUAL REPORT 04 australian broadcasting corporation Annual Report 2003-04 through australian eyes Over the last seven years Eric Campbell has Eric Campbell reported to Australians from some of the most remote and challenging places on earth. ‘To me, Foreign Correspondent as a journalist, being a foreign correspondent is the pinnacle. You get entrée to extraordinary people and places and to intense experiences. It’s special. You are doing something that people in other parts of the industry are not. It’s very rare to meet a reporter from another Australian network.’ His assignments have included reporting the wars in Chechnya, Afghanistan and the Balkans, tracking polar bears in the Arctic, filming at secret military bases in central Russia and travelling by sled with nomadic reindeer herders in Siberia. Eric joined the ABC in 1986 and worked with The Investigators and Quantum as well as news and current affairs. He applied for several overseas positions, ‘I spent a year learning Japanese thinking I’d probably go there’. Finally in 1996 he was given the Moscow posting for three years. He found it very interesting although, ‘when I was there it was still fairly grim—they were trying to come to terms with the new order.’ In marked contrast to correspondents from overseas networks ABC reporters operate as a compact unit—usually just the reporter and a cameraman. ‘ABC foreign correspondents are on duty 24/7. Most days are 12 to 14 hours, but if travelling, an 18-hour day is not unusual.’ Eric is writing a book about the last seven years, there are so many stories and memories and friendships. ‘You are working in intense situations, seeing people at their most desperate. You can form some great friendships. It is a great joy to go back and visit.’ section 1 Annual Report 2003-04 independent impartial accurate news and analysis everyone’s Contents Letter of Transmittal 1 Corporate Report ABC Vision, Mission Statement and Values 2 Significant Events in the Past Year 2 ABC Programs and Services 5 Board of Directors 10 Statement by ABC Board of Directors 12 ABC Advisory Council 14 The Year Ahead 15 Overview ABC Audiences 18 Corporate Governance 32 Financial Summary 37 Corporate Plan Summary 40 ABC Organisational Chart 41 ABC Divisions Radio 44 Television 49 New Media and Digital Services 55 News and Current Affairs 58 International Broadcasting 62 Production Resources 66 Development 69 Enterprises 73 Business Services 77 Human Resources 81 Corporate Affairs 84 Technology and Distribution 88 Summary Reports Corporate Plan Performance Summary 96 Outcomes and Outputs 104 ABC Subsidiaries 113 Independent Audit Report 116 Financial Statements 117 Appendices 153 ABC Charter 202 Office of Donald McDonald AO Chairman 5 October 2004 ABC Ultimo Centre 700 Harris Street Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia GPO Box 9994 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel. +61 2 8333 5363 Fax. +61 2 8333 2967 The Hon. Helen Coonan abc.net.au 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 2004. 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. 2 Annual Report 2003-04 ABC Vision , Mission Significant and Values Events Vision Valued and integral to Australia’s culture. Mission July 2003 Guided by the ABC Charter to engage our audiences with ABC Television and New Media and Digital Services launched the multi-platform drama an independent, distinctive and appealing mix of programming Fat Cow Motel. Audience response to the and content, delivered via multi-platform services. interactive program was very positive and the web component of the program became Our Corporate Values ABC Online’s most popular website ever for We will manage and conduct our business in an effective, a television program. efficient and ethical manner, according to values we share in the Corporation. The ABC food magazine delicious won ‘Magazine of the Year’ at the Magazine We value: Publishers of Australia Awards. • The ABC—acting always to support the role of a national Production Resources completed the public broadcaster in delivering valued outcomes for the move of the Sydney production centre Australian community from Gore Hill, where ABC television had • Editorial Excellence—aspiring to the highest standards been produced and broadcast for over of accuracy, impartiality and independence, in reflecting a forty years, to new, purpose-built city balanced and broad range of views and interests through premises in Ultimo and modified premises adherence to editorial policies and guidelines at Lanceley Place, Artarmon. • Innovation and Creativity—striving for excellence in the development and presentation of distinctive information 558 ABC Great Southern at Wagin, Western Australia was officially opened. and cultural programming content • Universal Access—ensuring that all Australians can access Radio Thailand started weekly rebroadcasts services that provide the knowledge required in a modern of Radio Australia feature programs on its information-based society national English language network—the first • Our People—providing opportunities for our people to time since 1996 that Radio Australia programs grow, personally and professionally, during their time have been heard on local radio in Thailand. with the Corporation • Good Governance—demonstrating our accountability August 2003 for the efficient and effective use of public resources Radio Australia completed a new educational website, Understanding Australia, which • Shared Commitment—accepting the shared obligation complemented a 13-part radio series produced to act responsibly and with a commitment to fairness with Monash University. The site explains and justice Australia to overseas audiences, particularly • Courage—encouraging the leadership and vision to younger people who might be interested in adapt to change with flexibility, integrity and decisiveness. studying in Australia. section 1 3 Annual Report 2003-04 September 2003 December 2003 High definition television (HDTV) on-air The Minister for Communications, Information transmission commenced. Technology and the Arts, the Hon. Daryl Williams, AM, QC, MP, officially opened ABC Canberra’s The Chairman of the Board launched refurbished Northbourne Avenue facilities. ABC Asia Pacific in the Hong Kong market. ABC Television broadcast The School ABC Television and Radio broadcast the Spectacular 2003, an entertainment State funeral of Australian country music extravaganza featuring thousands of legend Slim Dusty. children from New South Wales schools performing on stage. October 2003 Radio Australia presented an extended Radio Australia signed an agreement with interview with Indonesia’s Security Minister the Adult Multicultural Education Services and Presidential candidate, Susilo Bambang Victoria to scope the production of new Yudhoyono, recorded at a public forum at English-teaching language series for radio. Asialink at the University of Melbourne. January 2004 November 2003 The Hitwise online ratings service ranked The Winged Sandals website, which explores The Playground as the number one website Greek mythology through interactive story and Rollercoaster the number three website telling and game play, was launched at the for Australian children visiting Australian University of Melbourne. The site was websites. The statistics for Australian co-produced with the University’s Centre for children visiting worldwide website ranked Classics and Archaeology and funded with The Playground second and Rollercoaster ninth. assistance from ABC Development division. ABC Television broadcast the annual Hopman ABC Television’s broadcast of the final episode Cup from Perth, which was shot in widescreen of Kath and Kim (series 2) attracted more than digital, using three ABC digital outside broadcast two million viewers, the highest audience vans and a crew of 120. The event is the figure ever for an ABC program. largest outside broadcast production the ABC produces on a regular basis. 92.5 ABC Central Coast opened at Erina, New South Wales. ABC Television broadcast The Greatest Australian, a special Australia Day event in Director of Television, Sandra Levy, delivered which eight leading Australians argued the the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture at the merits of their choice for the title of the Screen Producers Association of Australia ‘greatest Australian’. (SPAA) Conference in Melbourne. February 2004 ABC Television broadcast After the Fires, The ABC hosted the Australian Interactive a documentary about the aftermath of the Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA) devastating Canberra bushfires of the Awards in the ABC Ultimo Centre, Sydney. summer of 2003. ABC New Media and Digital Services had 14 finalists across 11 of the 15 categories ABC Television broadcast the second and won six categories, including the ‘Best series of Dynasties, which explored the of the Best’ award with Winged Sandals, history of six of Australia’s most Kylie Kwong, Grow Your Own, Game On famous families. and Health Matters. 4 Annual Report 2003-04 Significant Events (continued) Mr Bruce Esplin, Victorian Emergency Services April 2004 Commissioner, launched the Black Friday ABC New Media and Digital Services website, about the 1939 bushfires.