Democrats seek “fairer deal” for ABC and community broadcasters

The Government’s offer to fund the expansion of News Radio broadcasts to regional Australia is a “hopelessly inadequate” response to the need to improve the ABC’s regional presence according to the Australian Democrats.

Democrats spokesperson Senator John Cherry said the ABC’s budget submission called for the expansion on all five of its radio networks, to centres with populations over 10,000 people, not just News Radio.

“In fact, NewsRadio was lowest on the list, behind Triple J and Classic FM, reflecting the wishes of its listeners,” Senator Cherry said.

“According to the most recent radio ratings, Triple J outrates News Radio nationally by about three to one, and attracts around two-thirds of the ABC’s listening audience in the under 40’s market. Classic FM also out-rates News Radio in every capital city.

“That is why the ABC gave top priority for network extension to Triple J for the 1.2 million Australians who currently cannot get it. At $3m a year, this is a tiny investment in Australia’s young people, made doubly important with the closure of the ABC’s Fly TV Youth Network.

“It will be a poor outcome for media diversity if the Government is able to swing its media package through the Senate on a promise of extending ABC News Radio and not its other two, more popular networks.

“While it is important to expand out Newsradio’s coverage to the 3.4 million Australians who cannot receive it, media diversity, especially for young people, will not be met in regional Australia unless Triple J is also extended.

“It is significant that a 2001 survey by the Australian Broadcasting Authority found that Triple J’s news service was the second most relied on source of radio news in Australia.

“The Democrats also want to see a fairer deal for community broadcasting, 70% of which are broadcasting in regional areas.

“With the growth in community broadcasting licences since 1996, average funding per station is now 40% lower than it was in 1996. This is despite the important role that community broadcasting plays in media access for community and minority groups.

“The growth in the coverage of community broadcasting has been the only positive development in media diversity in the last decade. Without more Government funding for training and infrastructure however, community broadcasting will not be able to reach its full potential.

“The Government also needs to reconsider its failure to provide improved funding for content provision on ABC and SBS. Public broadcasters in the UK receive around 7-8 times the funding that Australian public broadcasters do.

“Failure to adequately fund public broadcasters clearly impairs their ability to provide a genuine alternative to the commercial media companies, in the way that the BBC is able to do in Britain.”