Fifield is saying that a vote which went unchallenged at the Liberal Party Council Meeting doesn’t mean anything and that it’s a Labor lie. The Liberals are running scared.
2 Likes
Yes the shows would change under a commercial or privatised ABC model because the emphasis would then swing towards programs of mass commercial appeal rather than providing programs and services that may be valuable but not commercially viable.
Our taxes all pay for government services that many of us are not likely to access. Do you use every road that’s been constructed or every hospital or every school or catch public transport or access aged care or disability services? Yet our taxes pay for each and every one of them and many other services. Why do you single out ABC to be a user pay model? Should schools not be the same then? Or make every road a toll road? Or hike up public transport costs to reflect the true cost of the service?
And market research indicates that around 70% access an ABC service of some sort (whether it be TV, radio or online) in any given week. So a lot of people are accessing it even if it is not reflected in ratings figures which anecdotal evidence suggests are skewed towards households that don’t watch ABC or SBS anyway. And ratings only tell part of the story. ABC and SBS are not geared towards long form viewing. Most people might tune in to one or two shows all week and then tune out.
And what is to be achieved by privatising it? The commercial sector certainly wouldn’t be in favour of it. Commercial network viewing is in decline and so is TV advertising revenue. The last thing that 7, 9, 10, Foxtel or even SBS would want is an ABC funded by commercials and pinching from their precious market share. So they would fight any such move just as much as anyone else. Gosh the commercial networks all get in a stink whenever there are moves to increase SBS advertising which is minute in comparison.
And the ABC costs each of us something like 4 cents a day. Seriously it’s a minuscule amount yet the way some people in the mainstream and other media go on you’d think we pay a lot more for it. It’s pretty good value.
8 Likes
Don’t know if I agree with the second part of this, they will impact the commercial rivals revenue, but it is difficult to measure because it isn’t a direct movement of money - it’s not necessarily a bad thing that the ABC does have the ability to impact revenue of their commercial rivals (it’s a cost of doing business), but the ABC (and its staff) has to be realistic about it.
3 Likes
I’d argue you need to do both regardless of the funding arrangements - a publically funded broadcaster shouldn’t be restricted in terms of appeal (as much as that pisses off their commercial rivals)
Being publically funded makes funding at the whim of the political party in power and that’s not ideal but it frustrates me that there is an expectation that they are simply given what funding they want, this isn’t how government funding works.
4 Likes
Bring back TV licences and operate the ABC just like the BBC. Maybe the government might like that idea. They seem to like money.
1 Like
The European system of taxing television viewing to fund government owned broadcasting seems archaic to me. Funding government owned broadcasting out of general revenue is more efficient rather than having a separate tax.
5 Likes
Isn’t the TV/radio licencing fee over in the UK something like a couple of hundred dollars each year?
By comparison, the whopping $14.60 which Australian taxpayers currently fork out each year for the ABC doesn’t sound that bad!
6 Likes
what does that achieve though? Just creates more administration
It’s £150.50 which is currently $267.65 AUD while a black & white license is £50.50 ($89.81 AUD)
1 Like
Thats because it is - you end up spending a stupid amount of money in monitoring whether people have a licence or not when that money could actually go to broadcasting
NINJA EDIT: and also, this is also effectively double taxation - you pay for the licence post tax
5 Likes
I remember when ABC Radio moved from Forbes St and William St to Ultimo in 1989/90. The only positive about the old building was the ABC still had a tea lady who wheeled her trolley around. Her name was Dot Strong. The replacement building, it is now been discovered has a major fire hazard.
1 Like
Australia Network rebranding as ABC Australia from July 1st.
3 Likes
This has been the 3rd re brand in just five years?
I think presentation updates would be more efficient.
Tonight’s Media Watch dedicated the entire ep about the ABC: http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s4858440.htm
1 Like
I thought it was Australia plus. Am I a brand behind? They dumped it from my cable provider a few months after I signed the contract.
You’re right - the channel is currently called Australia Plus
1 Like
so ABC Australia broadcasting to the Asia Pacific region. If only there was another logical name
Been there; done that.
Australia Television International
ABC Asia Pacific
Australia Network
Australia Plus
ABC Australia
1 Like
Fun to think that once upon a time, its predecessor Australia Television was run by Seven.
