The ABC has submitted its triennial funding request to the Federal Government for 2003-06, seeking an additional $46.5 million next year and $115 million per year by the end of the triennial funding period. The proposed increase includes plans to increase the transmission networks of Triple J and NewsRadio.
The submission, which proposes “a modest increase on
current base funding, seeks to consolidate the position of the ABC within
the Australian community, provide more quality content to more people and
place the broadcaster effectively within a changing multi-platform
communications environment.”
Managing Director, Russell Balding said: “The ABC has now been part of Australian life for more than 70 years. This
funding submission seeks not just to provide more services for more
Australians but to enable it to continue the existing work of the ABC. The days of the ABC doing more with less are over. We have extracted
maximum efficiencies from current available resources.”
The ABC currently gets $675 million and uses it to provide:
* Local radio in each capital city
* 48 regional radio stations, with two more soon to commence broadcasting
* Four national radio networks, Radio National, NewsRadio, Triple J and
Classic FM
* An internet radio station, DiG Radio
* International broadcasting through Radio Australia, and through a separate
funding arrangement, an international television service – ABC Asia Pacific
* 24,000 hours of independent news and current affairs per year
* 13 international news bureaux
* A comprehensive internet presence with over one million pages of content
* A national television service
* Two digital multichannels, ABC Kids and the youth channel, FLY
“Through continuing efficiency improvements since 1996-97, the ABC reduced
corporate support costs from 13% to 8% of total costs. It achieved
significant workplace reforms through enterprise agreements that reduced the
number of separate awards from 64 to four. The ABC has clearly demonstrated
that it has significantly improved its productivity and efficiency, as
evidenced in the triennial funding submission. Nonetheless, cost pressures and growing competition for audiences will
intensify the effort required to sustain levels of service, relevance and
quality, and to ensure continuing development of quality Australian content,” said Balding.
“In this light, the ABC seeks the consolidation of its current funding base
and some additional funding to continue its current work, to provide new
programming and extend transmission.”
In Year 1, the ABC wants an additional $46.5 million, comprising:
* $34.4 million for program initiatives
* $9.3 million for additional transmission funds to extend existing ABC services
throughout Australia and internationally (Radio Australia)
* $2.8 million to continue short-wave transmission of Radio Australia.
All in all, a 7% increase in Year 1, increasing to $115 million per annum by the end of the
triennium.
The identified items, of course, contain the implicit threat that if extra funding is not received, things like Radio Australia may be cut back – an undesirable option in these times of heightened world tension.
New initiatives planned in the next triennium include:
* Increase levels of Australian TV content in the areas of children’s and youth
programming (ABC Kids and FLY). Plus, introduce a new information channel called ABC
Daily, with hourly news updates, documentaries, sport, weather updates,
regional coverage and parliamentary debates. These initiatives would help
drive the uptake of digital television and broadband services through the
provision of a compelling content proposition;
* Extend transmission of Triple J to a further 16 regional communities and
NewsRadio to a further 59 regional communities. Deliver a news service for
North Queensland and create ‘cross media digital hubs’ in a number of major
regional centres;
* Extend the reach and relevance of Radio Australia (ABC’s international
radio service) through local FM program relays and additional foreign
language output to key Asia and Pacific markets;
* Generate an additional 180 hours of high quality Australian television
drama and comedy. This would be achieved through the creation of an
Industry Partnership with the independent production sector – with whom the
ABC has made many landmark programs in the past including SeaChange and Blue
Murder.
“These initiatives represent a modest but necessary increase to the ABC’s
overall funding but would provide substantial benefits to a proportionately
large number of people,” said Balding.
The full submission is available via the link below.
Friends of the ABC has supported the funding request, saying: “The ABC is the country’s most significant provider of information and culture. Friends of the ABC is urging the Government to take seriously the ABC’s funding submission… It is imperative that Radio Australia, the ABC’s overseas broadcasting service, is able to transmit to our neighbours in the Asia Pacific region on a regular and on-going basis.”