Anonymous
Questions: The role of national broadcasting
- A traditional function of the ABC has been to provide 'comprehensive broadcasting services'-programming that appeals to a wide range of tastes and interests. - How should the ABC fulfil this function in a multichannel, multiplatform media environment? Should this function be reconsidered?
Our household accesses a wide range of ABC content: ABC1, ABC HD, ABC2 on television. We watch local news on ABC1, and The Movie Show, Sunday Arts, Spicks and Specks, the 7.30 Report, Gardening Australia and (with great anticipation) DR WHO on ABC HD. We really enjoyed Keating the Musical hosted by the marvellous Emma Ayres. We also watch Land Line on ABC2 sometimes.
We like listening to ABC Dig Radio or Dig Jazz on TV as background music when we aren't watching TV or listening to ABC radio.
We listen to Radio National (especially on the weekend days), Classic FM (mostly on for breakfast, drive and jazz track on the weekend), local radio (sometimes on breakfast or drive) on radio.
My partner reports that he also down loads pod cast of Radio National shows such as Radio Eye, Ockham's Razor.
The point being that we hardly ever watch commercial television or listen to commercial radio. The ABC provides us with almost all of our media content. In our house it is a 'battle of the ABCs' when deciding what to watch/listen to.
- The principal function of SBS is to provide multilingual and multicultural broadcasting services for all Australians, reflecting our multicultural society. - Is this an appropriate function for SBS in a 2020 media environment and, if so, how should it harness the available digital technologies to fulfil this function?
We mainly watch SBS for Jim Lehrer's Newshour. Although US content is available across all stations, this is generally commercial only. We value the SBS airing of PBS content. We access this content through our television. We also sometimes watch Message Stick.
- Should the Australian Government consider amending the charters of the ABC and SBS to ensure they provide a contemporary and relevant guide for the organisations on the path to 2020? If so, how?
I am not familiar with the charters of these organisations. I am satisfied with the current service.
Harnessing new technologies to deliver services
- What is the appropriate role for the national broadcasters in the conversion to digital television and the implementation of digital radio?
I like the sound of the proposals in the discussion paper that suggest an expansion of ABC and SBS channels.
- Are there opportunities for the national broadcasters to more effectively fulfil the objectives of universal access and the provision of local content by utilising new delivery platforms such as broadband internet?
I spend too much time at work on the computer to want to sit on it at home. It costs us to download information and our TV has a better screen and sound system than our computer. The national broadcaster should focus on TV and radio.
- The national broadcasters, particularly the ABC, have substantial archives of material. Are there ways these archives can be more effectively used and accessed?
- Is there a role for the national broadcasters to be early adopters of new technologies and program formats?
No opinion.
Informing and entertaining Australians
- What role should the ABC and SBS have in promoting Australia's cultural identity and presenting Australian images on television, radio and across new media?
The national broadcasters are able to present Australian content that is not explicitly commercial - very good for political satire shows like GNW and Kath and Kim which both went downhill when switched to commercial stations.
- What role should the ABC and SBS play in the provision of children's programming and should children's programming be delivered on the main digital television channels, or on separate channels, or both?
- How might the national broadcasters harness new technologies and platforms to enable Australians to remain informed at a local and national level?
- Should the charters of the national broadcasters be amended to more clearly define their broad programming directions and priorities? Should such priorities take into account the nature and reach of particular delivery platforms?
No opinion/interest in this area.
Education, skills and productivity
- Will there be a role for national broadcasting in education and training in a 2020 media and communications environment?
- Is there likely to be public benefit in a national digital education channel and how could such a channel be constructed to provide for cost-effective delivery of educational and training content?
- Would there be a public benefit in the national broadcasters playing a more significant role in the vocational education and training environment, beyond their current activity?
Possible public benefit in more involvement in education.
Questions: Social inclusion and cultural diversity
- What opportunities do new digital broadcasting and other platforms provide for the national broadcasters to more effectively deliver programming in languages other than English?
- Are there ways of better harnessing new media and broadcasting technologies to enhance the value of the national broadcasters' services to migrant groups, particularly those that are newly arrived?
No opinion.
- Is there scope for the Indigenous services of the national broadcasters and National Indigenous Television (NITV) to be provided in more effective, efficient and integrated ways that make best use of the available resources?
NITV should be made more accessible to all Australians. It reflects the Australian content and education functions discussed above.
Presenting Australia to the world
- Should consideration be given to expanding or enhancing the overseas services provided by the national broadcasters, and if so, in what form and to which countries?
- What is the appropriate relationship between Australia's foreign policy objectives and the overseas broadcasting activities of the national broadcasters?
- Is there a need to reconcile Australia's priorities for engagement within the Asia-Pacific region with the requirement for the editorial and operational independence of the national broadcasters' overseas broadcasting activities?
- Are there ways in which the impact and use of the overseas services of the ABC and SBS can be better measured and tracked?
The national broadcasters must have editorial independence. Beyond that there are may reasons to present Australia to the world. This has a valid but secondary purpose in the work of the national broadcasters.
Questions: Efficient delivery of services
- How is the transition to a digital operating environment changing the capital requirements of the national broadcasters?
- What changes might be considered to the national broadcasters' management of property and facilities to allow them to deliver their outputs more efficiently?
- Is there an optimal mix of in-house and outsourced production and, if so, how might it vary across different types of programming?
- Is there scope for combining certain parts of the operations of the two national broadcasters that provide for improved operating efficiencies without compromising their separate identities?
Obviously one would expect the national broadcasters to try to maximise efficiency. I don't have enough information or expertise to direct what options should be considered in this area.
- Should additional funding options for national broadcasting programs be considered, such as user-pay systems for programs distributed online, or open contracting for public interest content? If so, how might such arrangements operate, and to what types of content should they apply?
I am opposed to user-pay systems for the national broadcasters and oppose the commercialisation of SBS or of any idea of extending it to the ABC.
