Links to worthy pages for you to like/join
Save SANFL - Facebook Page
Keep TV production in Tasmania
Letter Writing
Letters to politicians and organisations and the ABC are always a good start to getting your concerns heard. There is no formula for a good letter and in most cases a pro-forma letter will only receive a pro-forma response. So take the time and write a letter to your local MP, a Minister or the ABC's Maning Director.
You can discuss anything that concerns you about the recent cuts to productions in the ABC and the likely cuts to broadcasting of other events like local sporting. If you get stuck below are the main issues with the ABC cuts.
Organise a Local Rally or BBQ
If your local community is concerned with the lack of production in the ABC and loss of regional voicesthen why not consider organising a rally or BBQ and providing awareness on the impact the TV production cuts will have on your community.
Get your local media involved to send a loud message that you dont support the decisions being made by the ABC
If you would like information or handouts for your BBQ or rally then contact us to let us know when your rally will be and the issues you would like to focus on and we can provide you with information to hand out.
Need Ideas or Not sure on the Issues?
If you get stuck or not quite sure what you might like to write about, here are a few issues:
- 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.
- The axing of the New Inventors, the long running program that showcased Australian innovation and design. This decision has left no current forum on the ABC that best represents the Australian science, research and design community.
- ABC has already confirmed it will no longer broadcast lawn bowls 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)
- These decisions mean a loss to the ABC (and public ownership) of the rights to the programs it has paid for. This includes a loss of editorial control over outsourced prgramming.
- 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. The decisions show a drift on 'light entertainment' in the search of ratings t the expense of comitted specialist audiences.
- What do you want to say happen to your ABC? What are your thoughts and opinions on its role and purpose in Australia society?
