ABC operations

The Wang Gungwu Lecture, celebrating Chinese Australians’ contribution to Australian life, returns in 2023.

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Chinese Australians have contributed to Australia’s business, political, scientific and cultural sectors for more than a century. The Wang Gungwu Lecture, named after the eminent Chinese historian Professor Wang Gungwu, shines a light on Chinese Australian achievements and provides a platform for discussion on what it means to be a Chinese Australian today.

Ms Wang discusses her experiences of social exclusion growing up in suburban Australia and the importance of art and literature in her own search for identity and sense of belonging.

Ms Wang explains, “I hope by sharing stories that are a celebration of all our differences, children may find a feeling of self-acceptance from a young age. I encourage those from diverse backgrounds to share your stories too. The more diverse stories there are out in the open, the more tolerant our society will be.”

The Wang Gungwu Lecture is a partnership between ABC International, the National Foundation for Australia China Relations and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

In 2022, renowned paediatrician and former Australian of the Year, Dr. John Yu AC, delivered the inaugural Wang Gungwu Lecture to a live audience at ABC Sydney’s studios, with a supporting address from chef, writer and television presenter Adam Liaw.

ABC Head of International Services Claire Gorman said: “After such a successful event last year, we are delighted to partner once again with DFAT and the National Foundation to celebrate the lives, achievements and contributions of Chinese Australians in our country. The ABC has a proud history of sharing the stories of Australians from diverse backgrounds both domestically and to our international audiences and we hope the Wang Gungwu Lecture will continue to provide an important platform for these stories to be heard and shared.”

National Foundation CEO Peter Cai commented: “We are privileged to have the Australian Children’s Laureate Gabrielle Wang as our keynote speaker for the second Wang Gungwu Lecture. Gabrielle’s work in bringing diversity and representation to children’s literature is vitally important to shaping young minds and creating a more inclusive and tolerant future”.

The 2023 Wang Gungwu Lecture will premiere on ABC Australia, on Saturday 4 February at 6:30pm AEDT, 5:30pm in Papua New Guinea, 3:30pm in Hong Kong and Singapore, 2:30pm in Jakarta, and 1pm in India. It will also be available on ABC iview and ABC Australia iview from 4 February as part of the ABC’s Favourites with Chinese Subtitles collection. The lecture will be broadcast on ABC TV in Australia on Thursday 9 February, at 11am AEDT.

About ABC International

ABC International, through owned and operated platforms ABC Australia, ABC Radio Australia, and ABC websites and apps, reaches a unique overseas audiences of at least 14,800,000 each month.

ABC AUSTRALIA is available in 38 countries and has a monthly viewership of at least 3,615,000 across Asia and the Pacific and ABC RADIO AUSTRALIA has a monthly listenership of at least 287,000 and reaches 18% of urban adult Pacific populations.

About the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations

The National Foundation for Australia-China Relations is an Australian government initiative, established in 2020, to strengthen constructive engagement between Australia and China and to engage Australia’s diverse Chinese Australian communities. As a national platform, the Foundation works across business, governments, and communities to provide practical support and expertise, facilitate connections, and coordinate capacity building and exchange programs.

This will trigger the Sky News rabble :roll_eyes:

Diversity & Inclusion Annual Report 2021-2022

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The ABC published its Diversity & Inclusion Annual Report 2021-2022 on Thursday, 9 February 2023. The Report sets out the steps the ABC has taken to monitor and evaluate progress against the objectives set in the Diversity & Inclusion Plan 2019-22 and Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan 2019-22 (RAP). The report also outlines the ABC’s current workforce diversity representation and diversity in content initiatives.

https://www.abc.net.au/corp/diversity-and-inclusion-2021/

ABC has a total of 4537 employees across its organisation but while the number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) employees has increased, the representation of Indigenous staff is still below its target.
ABC’s Diversity & Inclusion Plan covers a three-year period from 1 September 2019 to 31 December 2022. The Plan was extended from 31 August 2022 to 31 December.
The current Plan focuses on five key diversity areas – gender, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, cultural and linguistic diversity (CALD), disability and LGBTQIA+ with the following workforce targets:

15% culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) content makers
15% CALD executives
8% employees with disability
20% women technologists
3.6% Indigenous employees

Women make up 55% of the ABC’s workforce as at 31 August 2022. This has remained unchanged since August 2021. 44.5% of the ABC’s workforce are men and 0.5% identify as gender diverse.

5.6% of employees at the ABC identify as having a disability (August 2022) against a target of 8%. This is an increase from 4.6% (August 2021). This data is based on employees who have provided Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) data and disclosed whether they have a disability.

ABC did not outline any targets or employee numbers who identify as LGBTQIA+ but referenced achievements spanning ABC Pride, Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards, Mardi Gras 2022, Sydney WorldPride 2023, Wear It Purple Day and more.

Discover everything broadcasting on the ABC across Sydney WorldPride

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The world’s biggest LGBTQIA+ event, Sydney WorldPride is almost here and the ABC is set to bring audiences all the loudest, proudest, most important moments and more.

As the proud broadcast partner, expect a huge month of celebration, important conversations, party and protest across the ABC.

Key broadcast and coverage highlights include :

  • From Tuesday, 7 February at 5am - Out To Party

Across four one-hour programs, triple j’s queer music program will celebrate artists across Australia with a focus on regional artists.

Listen on triple j.

  • Monday, 13 & 20 February at 8am - Innies and Outies episodes: Ask an elder and Ask a young’un

Two cross-generational episodes for Sydney WorldPride hosted by Mon Schafter. A panel of queer pioneers respond to questions from rainbow youth about what it was like to be young and queer back in their day, and queer seniors ask LGBTQIA+ young folk to demystify the lifestyles and language of queer Gen Z.

Tune in on ABC listen.

  • Friday, 27 February at 8am – Innies and Outies episode: Kitchen Table Radio Hour

A one-hour hour program from NSW Regional Radio , talking about LGBTQIA+ regional issues, experiences, and topics. Hosted and produced by LGBTQIA+ staff and staff allies.

Tune in on ABC listen.

  • Sunday, 19 February - Mardi Gras Fair Day

ABC Radio Sydney will be broadcasting live on ground from 10am – 12pm at the biggest and best-loved free community event of the season. Radio National’s podcast hosted by Patricia Karvelas and Frank Kelly, The Party Room will be doing a live record on ground at 1.45pm with the bonus episode available from Monday, 20 Feb on ABC listen.

  • From Tuesday, 21 February – D&M social video chat series

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, triple j hosts Abby Butler and Tyrone Pynor have some in-depth chats with the leading lights of the LGBTQIA+ community in this series of six 20-minute episodes.

Listen on triple j.

  • Saturday 4,11, 18 & 25 February – Indigenous LGBTQIA+ oral history

Focusing on the political and personal of Indigenous activists who led the way. The oral history subjects are drawn from a defining period in the rights struggles of the 80s and 90s, at the nexus of Indigenous culture and sexuality.

Listen across Radio National’s AWAYE! series, Pride Is… and Speaking Out.

  • Thursday, 23 February - Immersive 3D journey along the path of the first Mardi Gras

An immersive retelling of the first Mardi Gras in 1978, using a 3D model of the route, archival footage and new interviews with people who were there. Produced by Innovation lab, Digital Story Innovations (DSI) team; ABC’s Sydney WorldPride team; and ABCQueer.

Explore on abc.net.au/sydneyworldpride

  • Friday, 24 February at 7.30pm - Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert

Broadcasting live from the Domain, join us for the official Opening Concert of WorldPride 2023 as we welcome the world to Sydney.

The star-studded event will be hosted by songwriter, actress, author, presenter Casey Donovan and international drag icon Courtney Act, joined by the ABCs’ Jeremy Fernandez, award-winning comedian, Rhys Nicholson and entertainer Brihony Dawson.

The night will be an epic celebration as we welcome the world to Sydney in a concert featuring headline performances from Kylie Minogue, Charli XCX, Jessica Mauboy, plus a huge array of Australia’s iconic queer performers.

Tune in on ABC TV , ABC iview and live crosses on triple j.

  • Friday, 24 February at 10am - Stop Everything!

Podcasters Benjamin Law and Beverley Wang will broadcast from Riverside Theatre, Parramatta interviewing the Co -Director of Choir Boy, Zindzi Okenyo and Music Director, Allen Rene Louis .

Listen on Radio National

  • Friday, 24 February at 6pm - Marri Madung Butbut: The First Nations Gathering Space.

Dan Bourchier will present a special episode of The Drum from Sydney WorldPride’s First Nations Gathering Space. Dan and an all-queer panel will be looking at the history of WorldPride and its importance today, along with human rights issues facing LGBTQIA+ citizens around the globe, and what belonging means under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella.

Tune in on ABC TV and ABC iview.

  • Saturday, 25 February at 7.30pm – 45th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade

Tune into the live broadcast of the 45th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade as it returns to Oxford Street, bigger and better than ever.

Anchoring the parade will be ABC News Breakfast’s Nate Byrne, Behind The News presenter Jack Evans and ABCQueer’s Mon Schafter. They will be supported by exceptional on-the-ground hosts including ABC NEWS’ Jeremy Fernandez, actor, musician, director, Zindzi Okenyo and comedian Mel Buttle.

Fan favourite presenters Tyrone Pynor, Abby Butler and Latifa Tee , will all be at the helm of triple j’s broadcast covering the floats, the fanfare and all the fun.

Broadcasting live across ABC TV, ABC iviewand triple j.

  • Tuesday, 28 February at 8.30pm – Queerstralia

Join award-winning comedian and professional lesbian Zoë Coombs Marr as she uncovers hidden LGBTQIA+ histories in a landmark documentary series, Queerstralia. Across three episodes, the series will wipe away the straightwashing and peer into the untold and frankly fascinating Queer history of Australia.

Tune in on ABC TV and ABC iview.

  • Wednesday, 1 March – Friday 3 March – Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference

LGBTQIA+ Activists, community members, political leaders and change agents from across the world will come to Sydney in March 2023 to take part in the largest LGBTQIA+ human rights conference ever hosted in the southern hemisphere.

Highlights from the conference will be available to stream on ABC iview and covered daily on triple j Hack, with a special broadcast on 2 March and a studio panel on 3 March.

Radio National’s Big Ideas, Life Matters and The Law Report will all feature content from the conference.

  • Thursday, 2 March – Blak & Deadly: The First Nations Gala Concert

Made by and for First Nations people, everyone is welcome at this glittering event. This is your chance to experience a rainbow explosion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait LGBTQIA+SB artistry, across a two-hour concert starring Jessica Mauboy, Electric Fields and Casey Donovan and hosted by Steven Oliver.

ABC Radio will be broadcasting the concert on Sunday, 5 March and ABC Indigenous and triple j will cover all the Blak Carpet and behind-the-scenes moments.

  • Sunday, 5 March – Pride March

50,000 people in their brightest colours will walk across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Domain, in a powerful international statement of visibility.

ABC NEWS and ABC Radio Sydney will be covering this historic moment.

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UPDATE: ABC staff will stop work and protest for 40 minutes at 2pm next Tuesday, March 7.

UPDATE 2 7/3: Tuesday’s strike action has been halted by MEAA.

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New ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund to drive screen production in South Australia

Arts Minister Andrea Michaels, Premier Peter Malinauskas, Kaye Weeks of Windmill Pictures, SAFC Interim Board Chair Miriam Silva AM, Rosemary Myers of Windmill Pictures, SAFC CEO Kate Croser and ABC Managing Director David Anderson on set of Beep and Mort S2 today at Adelaide Studios.

The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) and the ABC have today announced a new screen production partnership which will provide South Australia with an ongoing pipeline of quality television production.

With South Australian State Government investment of $5.2 million over three years, the ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund is designed to strengthen the South Australian screen industry by enabling a consistent pipeline of production to deliver high-quality content to ABC TV and ABC iview.

This partnership will be a significant driver of South Australian employment, with up to 460 production jobs (91 FTE) expected to be created across numerous screen productions. It will also drive engagement of local service companies and South Australian suppliers, create pathways for training and skills development, and create highly skilled work for the sector, as well as generate employment in other sectors – for every four South Australian jobs within the screen sector, another three jobs are supported elsewhere in the economy.

The partnership will also ensure South Australian stories are put front and centre, with the Government’s support including a Matched Development Fund specifically for South Australian producers to support the development of new, homegrown South Australian programs for the ABC, creating opportunities for South Australian writers and directors.

The production pipeline is set to start immediately, with season two of SA made children’s series Beep and Mort from Adelaide’s Windmill Pictures the first to get underway.

A hit with both audiences and critics when it premiered in 2022, the South Australian made and owned original series was created, produced and post-produced entirely in South Australia. Season two is now in pre-production at the SAFC’s Adelaide Studios in Glenside.

Beep and Mort is the first studio program for children made in the state in more than a decade. It is expected to inject more than $9.2 million into the South Australian economy and create 125 South Australian jobs across cast, crew and creatives combined over its two seasons.

This State Government investment in skilled jobs in South Australia’s screen industry is expected to deliver significant economic return, with every four South Australian jobs within the screen sector supporting another three jobs elsewhere in the economy.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said: “For more than 50 years, the South Australian Film Corporation has been telling our stories – putting South Australians in the spotlight, and ensuring our lives, culture and experiences are reflected to us at home, around the nation and overseas.

“I’m proud that the Government I lead will continue that important tradition.

“Beyond the cultural benefits, this $5.2 million investment in our screen sector will deliver more than 400 production jobs and even more flow-on jobs right here in South Australia.”

Arts Minister Andrea Michaels MP said: “As our national broadcaster, who better to show Australia’s stories than the ABC in partnership with our extraordinary South Australian Film Corporation.

“South Australia has been recognised globally as a powerhouse of film in recent years and we are seizing this opportunity to continue this proud legacy. Our investment will see a pipeline of fantastic Australian television being produced here in South Australia to tell our stories to the world.”

ABC Managing Director David Anderson said: “We’re delighted that the South Australian Film Corporation is partnering with the ABC in this joint-initiative to generate exciting new South Australian-based projects for the ABC. The collaboration will provide South Australia with a pipeline of quality television production and deliver finance certainty over the three years.”

SAFC CEO Kate Croser said: “The SAFC is thrilled to partner with the ABC in making South Australia a ‘home’ for ABC scripted production over the next three years.

“South Australia’s screen industry is poised to deliver the highest quality productions for ABC viewers, from our production companies, creatives and Heads of Department, to actors and crews, our world-class facilities, phenomenal locations and businesses and screen service suppliers across the state.

“The recent success of original ABC series from South Australia, Closer Productions’ Aftertaste, Epic Films and KOJO Studios’ First Day and now Windmill Theatre’s Beep and Mort, as well as SA filmed children’s series MaveriX, have paved the way for this consistent stream of production, and demonstrate the capacity of creativity to drive cultural and economic outcomes.”

The ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund is an ABC-specific fund that will operate alongside the SAFC’s existing Screen Production Fund, which supports the production of outstanding scripted and unscripted content for any screen that generates significant economic outcomes for the South Australian screen industry. Applications for the Screen Production Fund are open all year round and are considered by the SAFC Board. Find out more at safilm.com.au/production#spf

The ABC SAFC Matched Market Development Fund will open for applications soon, with more information to be provided to the sector at a special ABC SAFC South Australian Roadshow event to be held in the coming months.

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The ABC has sold its former Gore Hill TV studios to Goodman Group for $95 million.

https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/news/abc-cashes-in-as-former-sydney-studios-sold-for-95m-1200209/

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What production were recently coming out of these studios?

Some Kids Game Shows were produced there a couple of years ago. I knew a contact who worked on one of them.

I thought they’d sold it off years ago

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They had, I’m not a local there so unsure of the particular demarcation between Gore Hill and Artarmon, perhaps it’s similar to Ripponlea and Elsternwick or Nunawading and Forest Hill in Melbourne.

From what I can gather the most recent sale is a studio complex built late in the life of Gore Hill which designed to supplement the new facilities at Ultimo. I did read an annual report from around the turn of the century which referred to studio 26 as "new$ but don’t recall the exact year and searching is proving fruitless.

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Chris Oliver-Taylor appointed first ABC Chief Content Officer

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ABC Managing Director David Anderson has announced the appointment of Chris Oliver-Taylor to the newly created role of Chief Content Officer.

This position will report to the Managing Director and be responsible for the new Content division created from the merger of the current Entertainment & Specialist and Regional & Local divisions.

Oliver-Taylor brings a unique skillset and experience to the ABC after a career that has established him as one of Australia’s most successful content leaders and producers.

Currently Netflix’s Director of Production for Australia and New Zealand, he has been at the forefront of the screen industry, including previous roles at the ABC and BBC.

Since that time he moved into the independent production sector as Managing Director of NBCUniversal’s Matchbox Pictures, leading them to three SPA Producer of the Year awards as well as multiple commissions around the world. He then became CEO of Fremantle Asia Pacific, responsible for the creative output of one of the biggest production companies across the Asia Pacific.

David Anderson said the appointment to this unique role comes at an important time in the ABC’s history.

“Chris is one of the most experienced, both locally and internationally, content leaders in the industry with a well-honed sense of audience expectations and creative trends across platforms and technologies,” he said.

“The ABC Chief Content Officer is a role that requires leadership across all content platforms – screen, audio and digital – and must have the right creative approach to support the work of all our content teams and deliver for the Australian public.

“I am very pleased that a leader of Chris’ experience and calibre is joining us for the next stage of the ABC’s story.”

Chris Oliver-Taylor said: “This is a critically important role for the ABC and I am absolutely thrilled to bring my experience of leading incredibly talented people to the ABC at a vital time in its history.

“In a time of infinite choice across screen, audio and digital, we must deliver high quality and impactful content that resonates with all Australians, and I know to deliver this impact you can only do it with an amazing team.

“I am very much looking forward to working with David, the Leadership Team and all the talented people at the ABC to ensure the ABC continues to be trusted, relevant and valued into the future.”

Anna Mallett, Netflix VP Production for APAC/EMEA/UK said: “Chris is hugely talented and has made significant contributions leading our studio in Australia and New Zealand since joining Netflix. We are enormously grateful to Chris, wish him every success for the future and look forward to working with him again as a content partner.”

Anderson acknowledged and thanked Jennifer Collins, who has acted as Director, Entertainment & Specialist for the past nine months.

“Jennifer is an outstanding leader and has done a wonderful job,” he said. “Chris and I both look forward to Jen performing a significant senior content role in the newly merged Content division, leading the content strategy into the future.”

He also acknowledged and thanked Warwick Tiernan and Lee Glendinning for their excellent work acting as Director, Regional & Local since Judith Whelan took up the role of Editorial Director earlier this year.

Both Jennifer and Warwick will continue in those roles, reporting to Oliver-Taylor when he commences in late March, until the new Content division comes into effect from 1 July 2023.

Background

The creation of the ABC Chief Content Officer role was announced by the ABC in 2022 as part of the proposed restructure of the E&S and R&L divisions into one division: Content.

Announcing the new role, David Anderson said the ABC needed to make important structural changes to ensure it could adapt to rapidly changing audience needs and market trends and maximise the impact of the ABC’s services across audio and screen content.

The new structure will take effect from 1 July 2023.

Chris Oliver-Taylor will join the ABC in late March and the acting Directors of E&S and R&L will report to Chris from then until the new structure takes effect in July. He will be based in Melbourne.