Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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The
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia's
national public broadcaster, known previously
as the Australian Broadcasting Commission. With
a budget of AUD$823 million, the corporation provides
television, radio and online services throughout
metropolitan and regional Australia, as well as
overseas through the Australia Network and Radio
Australia. Through its commercial arm, ABC Commercial,
the corporation runs a chain of retail outlets,
selling books, audio and video recordings, and
other merchandise related to its programs.
Founded
in 1929 as the Australian Broadcasting Company,
it was subsequently nationalised and made a state-owned
corporation on July 1, 1932, becoming the Australian
Broadcasting Commission. Following this, the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 changed the
name of the organisation to the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation effective July 1, 1983. The corporation
produces programmes and information services,
broadcasting nationally on television, radio,
and the Internet. The ABC is often referred to
informally as "Aunty", the origin of
this name derives directly from a nickname of
the ABC's cousin, the BBC.
2000s
In
2001, digital television commenced after four
years of preparation. In readiness, the ABC had
fully digitised its production, post-production
and transmission facilities - heralded at the
time as 'the greatest advance in television technology
since the introduction of colour'. The first programs
to be produced in widescreen were drama series
Something in the Air, Grass Roots and In the Mind
of the Architect.
At
the same time, the ABC's Multimedia division was
renamed 'ABC New Media', becoming an output division
of the ABC alongside Television and Radio. Legislation
allowed the ABC to provide 'multichannels' - additional,
digital-only, television services managed by the
New Media division. Soon after the introduction
of digial television in 2001, Fly TV and the ABC
Kids Channel launched, showing a mix of programming
aimed at teenagers and children.
In
2002, the ABC launched ABC Asia Pacific - the
replacement for the defunct Australia Television
channel operated previously by the Seven Network.
Much like its predecessor, and companion radio
network Radio Australia, the service provided
a mix of programming targeted at audiences throughout
the Asia-Pacific region. Funding cuts in 2003
led to the closure of Fly and the ABC Kid's Channel.
ABC2,
a second attempt at a digital-only television
channel, launched on March 7, 2005. Unlike its
predecessors the new service was not dependent
on government funding, instead running on a budget
of AUD$3 million per year. Minister for Communications
Helen Coonan inaugurated the channel at Parliament
House three days later. Genre restrictions limiting
the types of programming the channel could carry
were lifted in October, 2006 - ABC2 was henceforth
able to carry programming classified as comedy,
drama, national news, sport and entertainment.
A
high incidence of breast cancer in female staff
working at the ABC's offices in Brisbane led to
the closure of the site, based in Toowong, on
December 21, 2006. Sixteen women were diagnosed
with the disease in a period spanning 1994 to
2007. A progress report released in March, 2007,
by an independent panel formed to investigate
the occurrences found that the rate of occurrence
for breast cancer rate at the offices was eleven
times higher than elsewhere - since the closure
of the site, the ABC's Brisbane-based television
and radio operations were moved to alternate locations
around the city, inclued Ten Brisbane's studios
at Mt Coot-tha. The ABC's Managing Director, Mark
Scott, announced in August, 2007 that new studios
would be built on the site, following the final
release of the Review and Scientific Investigation
Panel's report.
At
midday on February 8, 2008, ABC TV was rebranded
as ABC1, complementing the existing ABC2 digital-only
channel which was launched on March 7, 2008 (Credit:
Wikipedia).
The
ABC Charter
The
functions of the ABC are:
To
provide within Australian innovative and comprehensive
broadcasting services of a high standard as part of
the Australian broadcasting system consisting of national.
Commercial and community sectors and, without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, to provide:
broadcasting
programs that contribute to a sense of national identity
and inform and entertain, and reflect the cultural
diversity of, the Australian community; and
broadcasting
programs of an educational nature.
To
transmit to countries outside Australia broadcasting
programs of news, current affairs, entertainment and
cultural enrichment that will:
encourage
awareness of Australia and an international understanding
of Australian attitudes on world affairs; and
enable
Australian citizens living or traveling outside Australia
to obtain information about Australian affairs and
Australian attitudes on world affairs; and
To
encourage and promote the musical, dramatic and other
performing arts in Australia.
In
the provision by the corporation of its broadcasting
services within Australia, the corporation shall take
account of:
The
broadcasting services provided by the commercial and
community sectors of the Australian broadcasting system;
The
standards from time to time determined by the Australian
Broadcasting Authority in respect of broadcasting
services;
The
responsibility of the corporation as the provider
of an independent national broadcasting service to
provide a balance between broadcasting programs of
wide appeal and specialized broadcasting programs;
The
multicultural character of the Australian community;
and
In
connection with the provision of broadcasting programs
of and educational nature - the responsibilities of
the States in relation to education.
The
corporation shall take all such measures, being measured
consistent with the obligations of the corporation
under paragraph (a), as, in the opinion of the Board,
will be conducive to the full development by the corporation
of suitable broadcasting programs.
The
ABC's obligation to the Australian people as set down
by Federal Parliament in the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation ACT 1983.
Change
is in the air: (the below is no longer the case)
ABC
Television provides a national analogue service, which
reflects the diversity of interests and perspectives
in the community nationally, through a wide range
of distinctive programs of broad and specialist appeal.
ABC Television commissions, produces, purchases and
schedules all general programs as well as local and
regional services and news and current affairs programs.
It has production and transmission centres in all
States and Territories.
The
ABC also provides digital television services. It
currently offers its viewers a choice of two different
program streams. While one program stream features
the same content as its analogue service, the second
stream offers access to one of two digital exclusive
channels, ABC Kids, and
Fly. (as of mid 2003, not any
more. ABC digital FLY and Behind The News have been
given the chop!
ABC
Kids goes to air from 6am to 6pm. Fly is a youth channel
broadcasting from 6pm to 6am. ABC Kids, the first
of the national broadcaster's digital multichannels
commenced transmission on 1 August 2001. ABC Kids
was the first wholly Australian owned children's television
network and both it and Fly run a mix of Australian
and overseas programming. Fly is unique given its
philosophy to create television for young people made
by young people.
...end.
*For
up-to-date information on ABC go to their official
corporate website at: www.abc.net.au/corp
ABC
content on Media Man Australia
Personality
Profiles
Andrew
Denton
Phillip
Adams
Quentin
Dempster
Jake
Lloyd-Jones
Interviews,
by Greg Tingle
Peter
Clancy, National OH&S Advisor - 10th March
2003
Phillip
Adams (audio), Radio National, Late Night Live,
Broadcaster - 3rd April 2003
Tim
Richie, Radio National, Sound Quality, Producer
& Broadcaster - 15th May 2003
Quentin
Dempster, Stateline, Presenter, Friend of the
ABC & Author of Death Struggle - 28th September
2003
*Media
Man Australia has been interviewed on ABC Radio
and television a number of times, in addition
to successful media pitches
Article
Andrew
Denton: Aussie talk show king
ABC
cameraman Australia's first casualty in Iraq,
by Greg Tingle - 23rd March 2003
Profiles
Countdown
The
New Inventors
ABC Good Game
ABC
Sunday Arts
ABC
Australian Story
ABC Island
ABC
NOW
ABC
Radio, Adelaide
ABC
Resources
Website
Review
ABC:
Capturing the web for everyman, by Greg Tingle
Press
Release
ABC
Friends Hold Forum To Support Embattled Broadcaster
- 28th September 2003
ABC
Grandstand
*For
up-to-date information on ABC go to their official
corporate website at:
www.abc.net.au/corp
ABC
Shop official website
Media
Man Australia does not represent the Australian
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