In response to this announcement ABC staff, CPSU and members of the Public created the Your ABC...Worth Fighting For campaign to bring about awareness of the dismantling of internal production in the ABC.
This blog is one of many various social media forums to provide the public with information on the decisions being made by ABC management, media releases as well as how Australians can get involved in the campaign.
So What are the Issues?
Well there are a number of issues with the recent decisions and it is these issues that need to be addressed by the ABC and the Government. As the ABC is taxpayer funded, it is important that the public properly advised of decisions made by the ABC and have their say on the ABC's role and purpose in Australian society today.
The main issues include:
- ABC is cutting production in regional Australia and is centralising content out of Melbourne and Sydney.
- ABC is not meeting its charter in regards to regional diversity
- ABC is outsourcing is production to a handful of private companies (eg: Bananas in Pyjamas, Artscape documentaries), even where the production is termed a 'co-production' because usually the expertise and ideas of ABC staff are not utilised.
- Arts programming on ABC TV and online content (Arts gateway) will be severely cut due to the decisions to not just cut the weekly review program Art Nation but the entire TV arts unit. Only a few commissioning executives will seek outsourced material.
- ABC has already confirmed it will no longer broadcast lawnbowls and there has been no denial from the ABC that they will not be cutting local sports in SA and WA as well
- Regional content and voices will be silenced by the ABC closing down its TV production unit in WA in favour of private sector production, and in SA the TV unit will be severly cut so that its only remaining production wil be Poh's Kitchen, despite having a long history of making factual programs such as The Cook and the Chef, George Negus Tonight, Talking Heads and a series of cricket documentaries.
- The ABC is taxpayer funded (through both State and Federal funding) and outsourcing to private companies allows the ABC to access tax rebates, which increases the amount of taxpayers money is being spent. (outsourcing is not cheaper on your pocket)
- The ABC has obligations under its Charter that require it to provide programming that represents the Australian identity through arts, science, sports etc. These cuts mean it is not meeting its Charter obligations
- The ABC is a public broadcaster, which means that it should not be managed for profit or ratings. Yet, many decisions have been based on both of these.
- What do you want to say happen to your ABC? What are your thoughts and opinions on its role and purpose in Australia society?
There are 4 agenda items to this campaign:
1. ABC to continue to maintain TV production in regional states like Tasmania
2. Increased funding to the ABC to secure future internal production
3. ABC to commit to its charter on regional diversity, include the arts and radio.
4. No further cuts to internal production
Contact Us
Would you like more information about the campaign and how you can help or would like to have your thoughts posted then contact the Campaign
Email: yourabc2011@gmail.com
