Section 4 Summary Reports Performance Against the Corporate Plan 2007–10 The Corporate Plan 2007–10 includes three levels Objective 1—Ensure the ABC’s of performance measurement. independence, integrity and high The first level measures the effectiveness or standards. outcome of ABC services in providing benefit to Efficiency of complaints management the Australian community. These measures and the measured by performance against statutory ABC’s performance against them in 2007–08 are and ABC-imposed timelines. set out in the Corporate Plan Summary (page 10). During 2007–08 the ABC responded to 11 431 The second measures how well the ABC performs written complaints. Of these 81% were responded in relation to four high-level objectives. The to within the 28-day time period specified in the measures encompass 11 key result areas across ABC Editorial Policies. Overall, 99.5% of written four dimensions of performance identified in the complaints were responded to within 60 days, Plan: good governance; output and audiences; which is the statutory period for response to value for money; and learning and growth. complaints about ABC Code of Practice matters. The third level of evaluation relates to the During the same period, the ABC’s Complaints actions and performance targets set for each of Review Executive reviewed 70 complaints. Of these 18 strategic priorities. For reporting purposes, 98.6% were responded to within 28 days and these targets are assessed as “Achieved”, “On 100% within 60 days. Track”, “Not Achieved” or “Ongoing”, the latter Results of Editorial Policy Assurance Surveys. representing a commitment over the life of the Plan. The Director of Editorial Policies undertook five quality assurance projects. The first examined the quality of ABC processes for taking corrective Key Results Areas actions when they were warranted. The project found that in almost every case corrective Measuring how well the ABC performs in relation actions had been carried out. Some inconsistent to four areas of performance: good governance; practices in the handling of online corrections output and audiences; value for money; and were found and a series of recommendations for learning and growth—measured twice yearly. improvements were made. The second project examined the accuracy of three of the ABC’s principal radio current affairs programs—AM, The World Today and PM. An independent panel reviewed a random sample of 150 items broadcast and determined that 95.3% of the items sampled were either wholly or substantially accurate for plain facts and 97.3% were wholly or substantially accurate as to context. 116 SUMMARY REPORTS SECTION 4 Other projects examined samples of television ABC buildings by 2.3% from 878 megajoules per news content, radio topical and factual content, square metre per annum in 2007 to 858 in 2008. and online opinion content. The current ABC Fleet fuel intensity also fell by 2.3% from 3.84 Editorial Policies 2007 set out an impartiality megajoules per kilometre per annum in 2007 to requirement for each of these three categories of 3.76 in 2008. content. Final reports were due in July 2008. Electricity consumption increased by 0.8% and In August 2007, the Managing Director requested natural gas consumption by 0.6% in 2007–08 due a review of the adequacy of the Editorial Policies to the roll-out of new digital broadcast equipment in relation to journalistic sources and the in parallel with existing analog systems. reporting by journalists of events in which they are The Corporation has also established a Green participants. The Board approved the insertion of Futures Steering Committee to assist the ABC new sections (4.7 and 4.4.13–15) into the Editorial meet its performance targets and to ingrain Policies that, following a consultation period, take environmental best practices in the behaviour of effect on 1 July 2008. all staff. In the federal election coverage of October– See also Commitment to a Greener Future pages November 2007, the ABC used internal and 59 to 63. external resources to monitor the amount of coverage given to candidates and party officials (share-of-voice data) to help provide assurance Objective 2—To be recognised as the that coverage met all required standards of accuracy and impartiality. The election coverage leading Australian public media space monitoring work was reported to the Board and where people engage with issues published on ABC Online. and ideas. Fulfilment of statutory and regulatory Percentage of first-run Australian television obligations. content (between 6 pm and midnight, between 6 am and midnight) annually. The Corporation believes it has fulfilled all of its statutory and regulatory obligations during • 6 pm and midnight: 52.8% (48.4% in 2007–08 with the exception of responding to all 2006–07) on ABC1 written complaints within the 60-day statutory • 6 am and midnight: 34.5% (35.0% in period. The ABC responded to 99.5% of written 2006–07) on ABC1. complaints within 60-days. Comment: These results reflect the hours Environmental impact assessment and broadcast from the Sydney transmitter, comprising evidence of response. national and local New South Wales transmission. Figures may differ slightly in other States and The ABC has established an Environment Territories as a result of varying levels of local Management System which sets out high-level content. The decline is not noteworthy. policies, objectives and targets and provides for monitoring and reviewing performance. Data for ABC2 is collected across total hours The System is based on international standard of broadcast. 9.9% was achieved in 2007–08 ISO14001:2000. compared to 8.6% in the previous year. The Corporation has set targets to reduce its Percentage of Australian television programs greenhouse gas emissions by 40% (to 60% of in the ABC’s 20 highest rating programs. 1997 levels) by 2020 and by 60% (to 40% of 1997 • ABC1—Metropolitan: 65% (60% in 2006–07) levels) by 2050. • ABC1—Regional: 50% (55% in 2006–07). Overall during 2007–08 the ABC achieved a Comment: The increase in metropolitan reduction of 0.8% from 44 188 tonnes CO2-e to represents one additional program appearing 43 758 tonnes CO2-e. This was primarily due to in the top 20 list, while in the regional list it an overall reduction in the energy intensity of all represents one less program. SUMMARY REPORTS 117 Performance Against the Corporate Plan 2007–10 continued Percentage of Australian music performance Critical recognition through major on each Radio network that broadcasts media awards. music. See Appendix 21 (page 208). • triple j: 41.1% against target of 40% • ABC Classic FM: 34.6% against target of 30% Overall ABC (combined) audience reach. • ABC Radio National: 30.2% against target 72% which is the same as in 2006–07. Source: ABC Awareness and Usage Survey 2008 and ratings analysis of 25% conducted in the same month in 2007 and 2008. • ABC Local Radio: 31.5% against target of 25% • dig: 40.5% against target of 40% Audience share for ABC Television and • dig jazz: 24.9% against target of 25% ABC Radio. • dig country: 25.6% against a target of 25% Television: • Radio Australia: 60% against a target of 60%. ABC1—Metropolitan (free-to-air, people share) • 6 am to midnight—16.5% (15.7% in 2006–07) Comment: The result for dig jazz is not • 6 pm to midnight—17.2% (16.3% in 2006–07) considered statistically significant. ABC1—Regional (free-to-air, people share) Percentage of original content scheduled • 6 am to midnight—18.4% (17.1% in 2006–07) across mainstream radio services and web • 6 pm to midnight—18.7% (17.3% in 2006–07) stories produced for ABC Local Online. ABC1—Metropolitan (total viewing, people share) • Original content: 88.1% (This is a new measure. • 6 am to midnight—12.4% (12.1% in 2006–07) No comparative data is available for 2006–07.) • 6 pm to midnight—13.9% (13.4% in 2006–07) • Web Stories: 11 818 (Measurement not ABC1—Regional (total viewing, people share) available as percentage. This is a new • 6 am to midnight—13.2% (12.7% in 2006–07) measurement. No comparative data is • 6 pm to midnight—14.5% (13.7% in 2006–07). available for 2006–07.) Comment: Share data for ABC2 was not available during 2007–08. Percentage of state/local “breakout” • Radio: 20.7% (20.5% in 2006–07). television broadcast hours. Of the 10 910 total ABC1 television hours 2 217 Audience reach by media platform and hours (20.3%) were unduplicated, state-based, network. first-run television broadcast hours compared to Television: 20.5% in 2006–07. Data is not collected for ABC2 • ABC1—Metropolitan (24 hour)—60.1% (60.4% as this network transmits a national feed only. in 2006–07) Comment: The decline is not considered • ABC1—Regional (24 hour)—62.4% (64.2% in noteworthy. 2006–07) Percentage of people who consider the • Radio: 32.9% (32.7% in 2006–07) quality of programming on ABC Television, • Online: Active internet population—19.5% Radio and Online is good. (18.4% in 2006–07). • Television: 82% (81% in 2006–07) Comment: Declines are not considered statistically • Radio: 65% (64% in 2006–07) significant. • Online: 91% (88% in 2006–07). Total podcasts, vodcasts and streamed Source: Newspoll, ABC Appreciation Survey, 2007 and 2008. media. Comment: None of these changes are statistically • Podcasts: 41.5 million (22.9 million in 2006–07) significant. • Vodcasts: 18.6 million (5.5 million in 2006–07) • Streamed Media: Full-year data is not available due to a change of content delivery system during the year. 118 SUMMARY REPORTS SECTION 4 Objective 3—Deliver maximum on 1 July 2007 and entered into an agreement benefit to the people of Australia with Vision Australia, providing access to the through the effective and efficient ABC back catalogue.