Why not? It’s an AFL state so is culturally closer to WA, SA and Tas. Brisbane might be awkward given daylight savings.
We shouldn’t just give up like some people are saying.
The ABC is a great part of Australian life. We should treasure it. And aim to make it better.
Personally I’d like them to have a national LIVE NEWS, LIVE TALK, LIVE SPORT station with a contemporary sound like BBC 5LIVE. It’s compliment local radio. Maybe replace radio national and put some of the radio national content on local.
ABC Talk radio could be a radio station for discussions and opinions
Who gives a shit which part of metro cities stuff comes from? My concern would be more content for regional cities and towns. Not this political point scoring.
7 Likes
Ridiculous, once again evidence of decisions motivated by political pressure to focus on a Western Sydney audience rather than the benefit of the organisation at large.
ABC proud to partner with Garma
The ABC will bring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, stories and culture from the Garma Festival to our audiences on all platforms from 29 July-1 August.
The annual Garma festival is run by the Yothu Yindi Foundation in north-east Arnhem Land and is Australia’s premier Indigenous cultural exchange. The event serves as a national hub for discussions, policy and action formulation, and brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians through youth forums, art, music, film, song, dance and exhibitions.
The ABC is proud to once again be Garma’s official media partner following the festival’s two-year hiatus due to COVID.
ABC’s coverage across all platforms will feature First Nations reporters, producers, technical staff and crew from across Australia.
The ABC’s coverage, led by Indigenous Affairs Editor Bridget Brennan and Supervising Producer Suzanne Dredge can be seen and heard on the ABC TV and ABC News channel, Local Radio and across our digital and social platforms during the festival and beyond.
The theme for this year’s event is Nhanga Ngathilyurra, a Yolngu phrase meaning “to look ahead towards the future”.
ABC Managing Director David Anderson said the theme had special meaning given the challenging events of the past two years.
“The Garma Festival is an important opportunity to focus our audiences on the important issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities.” he said.
“It is also an opportunity to celebrate the incredible culture and achievements of the world’s oldest continuous storytellers.”
ABC at Garma
On Sunday 31 July at 9am Insiders will broadcast live from the festival for the first time on ABC TV and ABC iview.
A special episode of Q+A with recently announced ongoing host Stan Grant will be filmed in Arnhem Land and broadcast on ABC TV and ABC iview at 9:35pm on Monday 1 August.
David Speers will be joined on the Back to You podcast on Friday 29 July by Bridget Brennan and Dan Bouchier at Garma.
RN Breakfast presenter Patricia Karvelas will be back at Garma this year reporting for ABC News and ABC Radio and ABC News host Dan Bourchier will also be at the festival reporting for ABC News.
ABC TV program Art Works will be on hand to capture the unique art, songs, and dancing from the festival.
For kids, news program Behind The News will once again support Garma’s Youth Forum to inspire the next generation of budding journalists and the Little Yarns team will be there to share the festival with our youngest audiences.
ABC iview will feature a curated collection to support the event, with new content added over the week.
This year the ABC is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisory group the Bonner Committee. First established in 2002, its name commemorates the late Neville Bonner AO, Australia’s first Aboriginal Senator and an ABC Board member from 1983 to 1991. Under the Committee’s guidance the ABC continues to improve our representation of Indigenous Australians across our policy and programming.
1 Like
Art is everywhere on the ABC
The ABC will be awash with colour and culture as we celebrate art and artists across our platforms for our inaugural Arts Week.
From Saturday 6 August, audiences will be immersed in arts content that will uplift, inspire, educate, and entertain. Our Arts Week theme Art is Everywhere speaks to the presence of creativity in all our lives and the diversity of Australian arts and culture.
ABC Managing Editor, Arts Edwina Throsby said: “It has been a challenging couple of years for artists, and the whole arts sector continues to grapple with the impacts of lockdowns, illness and border closures. At the same time, the arts have never been more important: for making us all feel connected to each other, for reminding us of the extraordinary power of creativity, or simply for entertaining us.
Be it going to a concert or the theatre, picking up a paintbrush, or settling in at home with a movie or book, we believe the arts are for everyone to enjoy. This year’s Arts Week theme, “Art is Everywhere”, reminds us that art and creativity are easily accessible, wonderfully diverse, and integral to our society.”
Content highlights
The Big Weekend of Books
ABC RN’s on-air writers’ festival is back! The Big Weekend of Books is two jam-packed days of conversations with writers you love and others you’re going to love.
The Big Weekend of Books airs on August 6 and 7 on ABC RN and ABC listen, where you’ll also discover a range of audiobooks covering contemporary Australian fiction and non-fiction.
Arts & Minds
Leading arts figures, including Miles Franklin winner Melissa Lucashenko, director Wesley Enoch and comedian Lizzie Hoo deliver brilliant and thought-provoking short talks addressing the theme “Art is Everywhere”. Arts & Minds is available on ABC iview and the ABC listen.
Great Southern Landscapes
Art lover Rachel Griffiths returns to ABC screens and heads off across Australia to discover the exact spot where some of our most famous artists captured their interpretation of our iconic landscapes. Along the way she meets people who will help unlock the hidden secrets of the works and the untold stories behind them.
Great Southern Landscapes airs Tuesday 9 August at 8pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
Walking Man
The Walking Man was a prolific Perth artist, hidden in plain sight, who’s work shines a light on the concept of making art just for art’s sake. This is the story of Ross Seaton, the Walking Man, through the lens of Professor Ted Snell, as he sorts through thousands of artworks and collected items hoarded and stockpiled in every room of Ross’s home to bring together an eclectic exhibition set to stun the local Arts community and beyond.
Walking Man airs Wednesday 10 August at 7.30pm on ABC TV Plus and ABC iview.
Art Works
Hosted by Namila Benson, Art Works is the ABC’s weekly half-hour arts show sharing the most inspiring, surprising, and formative ways that Australian creatives are telling our stories today. Celebrating the diversity of Australian creatives and bringing new voices and ideas into the conversation, the show redefines how we tell the stories of Australia today and tomorrow. Art Works invites audiences to look, debate, consider and reflect on what the arts bring to all our lives.
Art Works airs at a special time Tuesday 9 August at 9.25pm on ABC TV Plus and ABC iview
Jeffery Smart
The comprehensive story of one of Australia’s greatest 20th century painters. The documentary incorporates rich archive material including rare interviews with Smart and his long-term partner Ermes De Zan at their wonderful Tuscan farmhouse and vision of places around Arezzo that inspired the artist.
Jeffrey Smart airs Wednesday 10 August at 8.30pm on ABC TV Plus and ABC iview.
Anatomy of a String Quartet
Guided by four musicians from the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Anatomy of String Quartet takes audiences on an intimate journey through the rehearsal and performance of an iconic piece of string music. As the players explore the story behind the music, they also share in their artistic process and the challenges of collaboration.
Anatomy of a String Quartet airs Wednesday 10 August at 9.30pm on ABC TV Plus and ABC iview.
The Art Show will challenge audiences to roll up their sleeves and Start Drawing including tips on how to get started with sketching
The Stage Show will be discussing the state of play of Australia’s cultural policy with the federal Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke.
Life Matters will be taking national talkback on arts access – inviting audience members to share their experiences of accessing “the arts” where they live. The conversation will explore why access to the arts is important for communities, what barriers exist, and examples of success stories.
ABC iview will have special Arts Week curated collections over the week, drawing on their robust inventory of over 150 hours of arts content
What a load of shit…
Fiona Cameron appointed ABC Ombudsman
The ABC Board has today announced the appointment of Fiona Cameron to the new role of ABC Ombudsman.
Fiona joins the ABC with a wide range of skills essential to the role and with experience in media, public policy and complaints processes developed over a thirty-year career.
Her most recent role has been Full-time Authority Member at the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), where she was Consumer Lead on the board responsible for a wide range of consumer matters related to the broadcast and telecommunications industries.
Prior to this Fiona was Chief Operating Officer at Screen Australia, a role she held for a decade and where she was responsible for implementing new programs and a new organisational structure.
Other roles include General Manager at DMG Radio – Nova 100, General Manager and Director of Corporate Affairs at Australian Radio Network, CEO at Aurora Community Channel and Board positions at the Australian Film Television and Radio School and Commercial Radio Australia. Early in her career, she has also worked in various political adviser roles at the state and federal level.
ABC Chair Ita Buttrose said the new ABC Ombudsman role was an important one for both the ABC and its audiences.
“We are fortunate to have an experienced media executive like Fiona take on this important role and I am looking forward to the ABC benefitting from the experience she will bring,” Ms Buttrose said.
“The ABC Ombudsman role has been created following the Independent Review of ABC Complaints Handling Procedures and will help strengthen the existing complaints handling processes that reflect the trust placed in the ABC by our audiences.
“We already have the highest standards of complaints handling in place of any Australian media organisation and Fiona’s appointment will assist us in maintaining those standards.”
The ABC Ombudsman role strengthens the existing two-tier model of in-house complaints handling and external review by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. This approach supports editorial independence and is consistent with other public media organisations, including the BBC, CBC and SBS.
The ABC Ombudsman will head an expanded Editorial Complaints Unit (currently known as Audience and Consumer Affairs) and will have the power to review a complaint finding.
The complaints review was commissioned by the ABC Board in October 2021 and was conducted by former Commonwealth and NSW Ombudsman Professor John McMillan and former SBS Director News and Current Affairs Jim Carroll.
ABC Managing Director David Anderson said the appointment of Fiona Cameron to the role will help the ABC maintain the strong bond of trust and confidence with audiences.
“The ABC Ombudsman will be key to us maintaining the high standards Australians know and expect from the ABC,” Mr Anderson said.
Fiona Cameron said: “This is an important and challenging role and strengthens the ABC’s commitment to its audience. I look forward to getting my feet under the desk and grappling with all the many and varied issues.”
Fiona Cameron will start as ABC Ombudsman in late September.
Mr Albanese reaffirmed his government’s commitment to an Indo-Pacific broadcasting strategy, which increases ABC International funding so Australian content can be boosted in the region.
2 Likes
More on ABC’s 90th anniversary function plus excerpts from Albanese’s speech.
EDIT 7/8: the full text of Albanese’s speech was posted on the PM’s official website yesterday.
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/abc-90th-anniversary
1 Like
That wireless transmission on 1 July 1932 is estimated to have reached six per cent of the country’s population, almost 400,000 people, reaching as far as Perth. Today we reach almost 20 million Australians across all platforms every week.
That’s what I call mainstream. Some of our critics however reckon the ABC doesn’t represent the mainstream, but can you be any more mainstream than reaching an audience of 20 million plus Australians every week? I don’t think so.
1 Like
ABC and AIDC announce the 2022 recipient of Indigenous Documentary Placement
Perun Bonser has been named the 2022 recipient of the Indigenous Documentary Placement. The initiative is co-presented by the ABC and the Australian Documentary Conference (AIDC) to fast-track the careers of Indigenous nonfiction screen practitioners.
The placement will enable Perun to develop his skills in documentary, factual development and production as well as fostering greater diversity of voices in the Australian documentary sector.
Perun is a Ngarluma writer and director based in Boorloo / Perth, whose work has focused on telling the stories of First Nations peoples. Perun is the series director and co-writer of NITV series ‘Our Law’ which is currently in production and will explore whether Indigenous police officers could change police culture and rebuild trust with Aboriginal peoples. He wrote and directed the 2017 short film Blight which screened and received nominations in a number of film festivals winning “Best Director” and “Best Actress” at the 2018 Fringe World Next Gen Short Film Festival.
Perun was also a writer on the 2018 series Nyoongar Footy Magic. A TV and multi-platform documentary project that profiled the lives and careers of 24 great Western Australian AFL footballers of Nyoongar heritage. The series screened on NITV and online and locally at Optus Stadium in Perth and the MCG and Federation Square in Melbourne.
Perun said: “I am so excited to start the placement next week. I really want to learn as much as possible and find new ways to tell authentic First Nations stories”
WA screen agency Screenwest will provide support for Perun to travel from Perth to Sydney. The four-month placement with the ABC will begin in mid-August and run until the end of the year. The mid-career focussed placement, with the ABC’s Factual & Culture team will focus on learning the development, commissioning and editorial production process behind the ABC’s distinctive Australian content.
Jennifer Collins, ABC Acting Director Entertainment & Specialist, said: “Following the success of the inaugural Indigenous Documentary Placement last year, I am proud to welcome Perun and his unique experience to the Factual & Culture Team. Through this initiative, the ABC is actively working to increase the diversity of stories and voices on our screens and helping to build the careers of local creatives.”
Natasha Gadd, CEO/Creative Director, AIDC, said: “AIDC is firmly committed to supporting opportunities for Indigenous creatives to sharpen their craft and access new platforms to tell their stories. The Indigenous Documentary Placement with the ABC is one such initiative we have developed to achieve this. Congratulations to Perun, we’re looking forward to tracking what he will bring to the placement, as well as the new skills and career opportunities he will take away from the experience.”
Perun has received training from AFTRS and Screenwest and holds a Diploma in Dance from NAISDA Dance College.
On its launch in 2021, the first recipient of the Indigenous Documentary Placement program was award-winning filmmaker, and descendent of the Yuin and Awabakal nations, Daniel King.
As part of the ABC placement Daniel produced stories for Artworks and Catalyst online and spent time in the commission team. He is currently in pre-production for his second feature length documentary, titled Her Name Is Nanny Nellie, for NITV, and recently directed an episode of Rachel Griffiths-fronted ABC series Great Southern Landscapes for Mint Pictures.
Click here for more information about the Indigenous Documentary Placement initiative.
ABC appoints Damian Cronan as Chief Digital and Information Officer
ABC Managing Director David Anderson has announced the appointment of Damian Cronan to the role of Chief Digital and Information Officer.
Damian joins the ABC with a wide range of skills and experience from a twenty -year career including Chief Technology Officer roles with media organisations including Nine MSN, Stan and Fairfax/Nine Group.
Most recently Damian was Chief Information and Technology Officer at Fairfax/Nine Group where his responsibilities included group technology strategy and governance, product engineering, cyber security and the management of complex vendor and commercial relationships.
He has demonstrated experience in growing high performing teams and aligning performance to strategic outcomes.
ABC Managing Director David Anderson said: “Damian will play a key role in the delivery of the ABC Five-Year Plan as we continue to transform to be the nation’s most trusted and valued digital content provider across all platforms.
“We are very much looking forward to Damian joining us.”
Mr Cronan said: “I am honoured and humbled to be appointed to this important role at the ABC. I’m excited to be given the opportunity to join David and the team and contribute to the ABC’s mission and future success.”
The ABC’s Acting Chief Digital and Information Officer, Rebecca Matthews, will continue in the role until Mr Cronan joins the ABC in October.
“I would like to thank Rebecca for her strong leadership and significant contribution over the last six months,” Mr Anderson said.
Kamin Gock and Ellie Grounds named joint winners of the 2023 Andrew Olle Scholarship
Sydney-based journalist Kamin Gock and Brisbane-based triple j reporter Ellie Grounds have been named as joint recipients of the ABC’s 2023 Andrew Olle Scholarship.
Ellie Grounds is a reporter with triple j’s youth current affairs program Hack. She was previously a video journalist with the ABC’s Regional and Local team based in Longreach where she established a strong track record for elevating regional stories to a national platform. She studied and practiced as a lawyer before starting at the ABC.
Ellie said she would like to spend the scholarship period learning from some of the ABC’s best videographers, photographers, and investigative journalists. “Having a year unbound (to an extent) by traditional deadlines or work arrangements would provide a unique opportunity to experiment with storytelling techniques and try things without fear of failure,” she said.
Kamin Gock is currently a multi-platform journalist/reporter with ABC News in Sydney. He was previously a journalist with Channel Nine in Perth. He did outstanding reporting on the Northern Rivers flooding earlier this year. Kamin has a solid foundation in breaking news but would like to develop skills in visual storytelling and investigative training.
“This is the opportunity I have been hoping for that could open doors to learn from the best and hone my craft,” Kamin said.
The scholarship honours the life and work of the late ABC journalist Andrew Olle, who was one of Australia’s most admired broadcasters. Andrew presented some of the ABC’s flagship programs including Four Corners, The 7.30 Report and Mornings on ABC Radio Sydney (then 2BL). The scholarship is designed to create career development opportunities for young ABC journalists and to promote the values that epitomised Andrew Olle’s journalism.
EDIT:
1 Like
Correcting the record (again):
Sophie Elsworth in The Australian
In a story that deals with the issue of the media correcting mistakes, Sophie Elsworth in today’s The Australian claims ABC journalist Louise Milligan “(failed) to correct the record after making defamatory and untrue statements about former federal MP Andrew Laming in March last year”.
This is incorrect. Ms Milligan did correct the record, personally publishing a lengthy statement on 17 June 2021. This was also publicly addressed by the ABC in a statement: ABC Statement on Louise Milligan and Andrew Laming | About the ABC.
The ABC has asked Sophie Elsworth and The Australian to correct the report.
Ms Elsworth also wrote that Ms Milligan has been “involved in multiple defamation proceedings in the past year”. For context and fairness it should be noted she has been involved in two, the first ever in her more than 20-year career in journalism.
1 Like
1 Like