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Beth Duncan
ABC REVIEW SUBMISSION
From the ABC Annual Report 2007/8 it is clear that our national broadcaster is struggling to fulfill its role in building national cohesion and in interpreting Australia to Australians.
In 2007/8 the following miniscule numbers of programmes were Australian:
Only 27% of children's TV
Only 8% of drama
Only 1% of comedy
These disastrous figures are almost inevitable given the severe funding shortages imposed upon the ABC relative to the BBC's funding ? $107 per head for the year 2005/6 compared with the ABC's $41.40 per head (D. Cassidy from Friends of the ABC).
Similarly in 2005/6 funds available for the whole of the ABC, both radio and TV approximated only 75% of the average funding available to the three commercial
networks for their TV operations only (Australian Communications and Media Authority published on the Friends of the ABC website).
I want an ABC which is fully funded to provide majority Australian content in programmes of cultural value which it produces in an innovative manner and which take account of the ABC's important educational role.
The ABC and SBS should remain separate and distinct broadcasters. Australia needs more media diversity not less