the national broadcaster - about the abcabout.abc.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/annual... · on...
TRANSCRIPT
through australian eyes
04
through australian eyes
A N N U A L R E P O R T
a u s t r a l i a n b r o a d c a s t i n g c o r p o r a t i o n
Eric Campbell
T h e N a t i o n a l B r o a d c a s t e r
through australian eyesEric Campbell
A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Foreign Correspondent
Over the last seven years Eric Campbell has
reported to Australians from some of the most
remote and challenging places on earth. ‘To me,
as a journalist, being a foreign correspondent is
the pinnacle. You get entrée to extraordinary
people and places and to intense experiences.
It’s special. You are doing something that people
in other parts of the industry are not. It’s very rare to
meet a reporter from another Australian network.’
His assignments have included reporting the wars
in Chechnya, Afghanistan and the Balkans, tracking
polar bears in the Arctic, filming at secret military
bases in central Russia and travelling by sled
with nomadic reindeer herders in Siberia.
Eric joined the ABC in 1986 and worked with The
Investigators and Quantum as well as news and
current affairs. He applied for several overseas
positions, ‘I spent a year learning Japanese thinking
I’d probably go there’. Finally in 1996 he was given
the Moscow posting for three years. He found
it very interesting although, ‘when I was there it
was still fairly grim—they were trying to come
to terms with the new order.’
In marked contrast to correspondents from
overseas networks ABC reporters operate as
a compact unit—usually just the reporter and
a cameraman. ‘ABC foreign correspondents are
on duty 24/7. Most days are 12 to 14 hours,
but if travelling, an 18-hour day is not unusual.’
Eric is writing a book about the last seven
years, there are so many stories and memories
and friendships.
‘You are working in intense situations, seeing
people at their most desperate. You can form
some great friendships. It is a great joy to go
back and visit.’
everyone’s
accurateimpartialnews and analysisindependent
s e c t i o n 1A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
ContentsLetter of Transmittal 1
Corporate ReportABC Vision, Mission Statement and Values 2Significant Events in the Past Year 2ABC Programs and Services 5Board of Directors 10Statement by ABC Board of Directors 12ABC Advisory Council 14The Year Ahead 15
OverviewABC Audiences 18Corporate Governance 32Financial Summary 37Corporate Plan Summary 40ABC Organisational Chart 41
ABC DivisionsRadio 44Television 49New Media and Digital Services 55News and Current Affairs 58International Broadcasting 62Production Resources 66Development 69Enterprises 73Business Services 77Human Resources 81Corporate Affairs 84Technology and Distribution 88
Summary ReportsCorporate Plan Performance Summary 96Outcomes and Outputs 104ABC Subsidiaries 113
Independent Audit Report 116Financial Statements 117
Appendices 153
ABC Charter 202
5 October 2004
The Hon. Helen CoonanMinister for Communications,Information Technology and the ArtsParliament HouseCANBERRA ACT 2600
The Board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is pleased to present the Annual Report of the Corporation for the year ended 30 June 2004.
The report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983.
Office ofDonald McDonald AO
Chairman
ABC Ultimo Centre700 Harris StreetUltimo NSW 2007Australia
GPO Box 9994Sydney NSW 2001
Tel. +61 2 8333 5363Fax. +61 2 8333 2967abc.net.au
VisionValued and integral to Australia’s culture.
MissionGuided by the ABC Charter to engage our audiences with
an independent, distinctive and appealing mix of programming
and content, delivered via multi-platform services.
Our Corporate ValuesWe will manage and conduct our business in an effective,
efficient and ethical manner, according to values we share
in the Corporation.
We value:• The ABC—acting always to support the role of a national
public broadcaster in delivering valued outcomes for the
Australian community
• Editorial Excellence—aspiring to the highest standards
of accuracy, impartiality and independence, in reflecting a
balanced and broad range of views and interests through
adherence to editorial policies and guidelines
• Innovation and Creativity—striving for excellence in the
development and presentation of distinctive information
and cultural programming content
• Universal Access—ensuring that all Australians can access
services that provide the knowledge required in a modern
information-based society
• Our People—providing opportunities for our people to
grow, personally and professionally, during their time
with the Corporation
• Good Governance—demonstrating our accountability
for the efficient and effective use of public resources
• Shared Commitment—accepting the shared obligation
to act responsibly and with a commitment to fairness
and justice
• Courage—encouraging the leadership and vision to
adapt to change with flexibility, integrity and decisiveness.
July 2003ABC Television and New Media and Digital
Services launched the multi-platform drama
Fat Cow Motel. Audience response to the
interactive program was very positive and
the web component of the program became
ABC Online’s most popular website ever for
a television program.
The ABC food magazine delicious won
‘Magazine of the Year’ at the Magazine
Publishers of Australia Awards.
Production Resources completed the
move of the Sydney production centre
from Gore Hill, where ABC television had
been produced and broadcast for over
forty years, to new, purpose-built city
premises in Ultimo and modified premises
at Lanceley Place, Artarmon.
558 ABC Great Southern at Wagin,
Western Australia was officially opened.
Radio Thailand started weekly rebroadcasts
of Radio Australia feature programs on its
national English language network—the first
time since 1996 that Radio Australia programs
have been heard on local radio in Thailand.
August 2003Radio Australia completed a new educational
website, Understanding Australia, which
complemented a 13-part radio series produced
with Monash University. The site explains
Australia to overseas audiences, particularly
younger people who might be interested in
studying in Australia.
2A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
ABC Vision , Mission and Values
SignificantEvents
September 2003High definition television (HDTV) on-air
transmission commenced.
The Chairman of the Board launched
ABC Asia Pacific in the Hong Kong market.
ABC Television and Radio broadcast the
State funeral of Australian country music
legend Slim Dusty.
October 2003Radio Australia presented an extended
interview with Indonesia’s Security Minister
and Presidential candidate, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, recorded at a public forum at
Asialink at the University of Melbourne.
November 2003The Winged Sandals website, which explores
Greek mythology through interactive story
telling and game play, was launched at the
University of Melbourne. The site was
co-produced with the University’s Centre for
Classics and Archaeology and funded with
assistance from ABC Development division.
ABC Television’s broadcast of the final episode
of Kath and Kim (series 2) attracted more than
two million viewers, the highest audience
figure ever for an ABC program.
92.5 ABC Central Coast opened at Erina,
New South Wales.
Director of Television, Sandra Levy, delivered
the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture at the
Screen Producers Association of Australia
(SPAA) Conference in Melbourne.
ABC Television broadcast After the Fires,
a documentary about the aftermath of the
devastating Canberra bushfires of the
summer of 2003.
ABC Television broadcast the second
series of Dynasties, which explored the
history of six of Australia’s most
famous families.
December 2003The Minister for Communications, Information
Technology and the Arts, the Hon. Daryl Williams,
AM, QC, MP, officially opened ABC Canberra’s
refurbished Northbourne Avenue facilities.
ABC Television broadcast The School
Spectacular 2003, an entertainment
extravaganza featuring thousands of
children from New South Wales schools
performing on stage.
Radio Australia signed an agreement with
the Adult Multicultural Education Services
Victoria to scope the production of new
English-teaching language series for radio.
January 2004The Hitwise online ratings service ranked
The Playground as the number one website
and Rollercoaster the number three website
for Australian children visiting Australian
websites. The statistics for Australian
children visiting worldwide website ranked
The Playground second and Rollercoaster ninth.
ABC Television broadcast the annual Hopman
Cup from Perth, which was shot in widescreen
digital, using three ABC digital outside broadcast
vans and a crew of 120. The event is the
largest outside broadcast production the
ABC produces on a regular basis.
ABC Television broadcast The Greatest
Australian, a special Australia Day event in
which eight leading Australians argued the
merits of their choice for the title of the
‘greatest Australian’.
February 2004The ABC hosted the Australian Interactive
Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA)
Awards in the ABC Ultimo Centre, Sydney.
ABC New Media and Digital Services had
14 finalists across 11 of the 15 categories
and won six categories, including the ‘Best
of the Best’ award with Winged Sandals,
Kylie Kwong, Grow Your Own, Game On
and Health Matters.
s e c t i o n 1 3A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Mr Bruce Esplin, Victorian Emergency Services
Commissioner, launched the Black Friday
website, about the 1939 bushfires. In attendance
were members of the media and survivors of
the fires.
Local Radio website Oztrax launched to
promote Australian music and performance.
ABC Television premiered three new television
entertainment series, Strictly Dancing,
The Einstein Factor and Mondo Thingo.
ABC Television broadcast the landmark
documentary series Wild Australasia, a six-part
co-production between ABC Television’s
Natural History Unit and the BBC.
Pacific Island broadcasters supported
Radio Australia’s concept of a Pacific
Radio Network, facilitating the sharing
of radio content across the region, with
Radio Australia serving as the central
distribution point.
March 2004ABC Books launched Traveller’s Tales in
conjunction with Through Australian Eyes,
a travelling exhibition of photos and stories
from the ABC’s foreign correspondents.
ABC Audio launched its first MP3 audio
product, Taim Bilong Masta.
Radio Australia consolidated its position
as the second most popular international
broadcaster in Indonesia following a national
audience survey that pointed to significant
gains by the service. Audience awareness was
up 50% on 2002 results to 8.4% or 12 million,
while Radio Australia’s total audience estimate,
had doubled to 7 million listeners.
April 2004ABC New Media and Digital Services
launched Checklist for an Armed Robber,
an online component to the Radio National
drama series. It used interactive flash
components to give listeners an opportunity
to explore the characters, the environment
and the themes behind the program.
Daily relays of Radio Australia’s Khmer language
broadcasts on local FM radio commenced in
Phnom Penh, reaching 60% of Cambodia’s
population. Radio Australia’s English news
is also relayed three times each day.
Radio Australia celebrated 60 years
of shortwave broadcasting from the
Shepparton transmitter site in Victoria.
On 21 April ABC Asia Pacific introduced
The Editors, its Asian weekly discussion
program made in Singapore.
Radio Australia started weekly trial digital
broadcasts to Europe using the Digital
Radio Mondiale platform.
May 2004ABC Online recorded its highest number
of unique Australian users at 1.43 million,
with a reach of 14% in the active
Australian Internet population.
Thailand’s Mass Communication Organisation
started relaying Radio Australia news every
afternoon and evening on Bangkok FM 107.
A Joint Parliamentary Inquiry into Australia’s
Relationship with Indonesia recommended
that ‘priority should be given to measures
which will significantly extend the reach of
Radio Australia, preferably at least to levels
enjoyed in the ’70s and ’80s.
4A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Significant Events (continued)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,
the Hon. Alexander Downer, MP, launched
ABC Asia Pacific in the Singapore market.
June 2004ABC Television broadcast the epic, multi-award
winning series Angels in America over three
consecutive nights.
ABC Television broadcast the television
special Ten Days to D-Day to commemorate
the 60th anniversary of D-Day.
Radio Australia secured a new 24-hour FM relay
for its English-language broadcasts in Cambodia
on Phnom Penh FM 101.5. This is Radio
Australia’s third 24-hour FM relay after Suva
92.6 FM and Port Moresby FM 101.9.
Radio Australia hosted the Second Herb
Feith Memorial Lecture in Melbourne in
association with Monash University.
783 ABC Central Australia launched as part
of new Local Radio transmission arrangements
in the Northern Territory.
ABC Enterprises
• 39 ABC Shops
• 84 ABC Centres throughout Australia
• Customer Delivery Service (fax, telephone
and mail orders) and ABC Shop Online
International Broadcasting
• Radio Australia, an international radio service
broadcasting by shortwave, satellite and
rebroadcast arrangements to Asia and
the Pacific
• ABC Asia Pacific, an international television
and online service broadcasting via satellite
and rebroadcast arrangements to Asia and
the Pacific
ProgrammingThe ABC offers a distinctive range of
programming which includes:
• Arts and Culture
• Business and Finance
• Children’s
• Comedy
• Current Affairs
• Drama
• Education
• Factual—Contemporary Life; Health;
Indigenous; Law, Consumer Affairs and
Media; Special Events; and Topical Issues
• History
In achieving its vision the ABC delivers
comprehensive programs and services
which reflect the interests and aspirations
of diverse Australian communities.
ServicesABC Radio
• four national radio networks comprising
Radio National, ABC Classic FM, triple j,
and ABC NewsRadio (on the Parliamentary
and News Network)
• dig, a music-based service available
via the Internet and digital television
• nine metropolitan radio stations in capital
cities and Newcastle
• 51 regional radio studios throughout Australia
ABC Television
• national analog television service
• digital television with analog simulcast from
97 transmitters around Australia
• local television in each State and Territory
ABC New Media and Digital Services
• ABC Online, serving more than 1 627 997
pages of web content
• Content and services on emerging platforms
including interactive television, SMS, mobile
services for 3G phones and other wireless
devices
s e c t i o n 1 5A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
ABC Programs and Services
• Light Entertainment
• Music
• News
• Regional and Rural
• Religion and Ethics
• Science, Technology,
Environment and Natural History
• Sport
TransmissionThe ABC transmits its programs via:
• 973 terrestrial transmitters around Australia
for analog television services, including Self
Help and Community facilities, formerly known
as Broadcasting for Remote Aboriginal
Communities Scheme (BRACS)
• 949 terrestrial transmitters around Australia
for analog radio services, including Self Help
and Community facilities, formerly known
as BRACS
• 97 terrestrial transmitters around Australia
for digital terrestrial television services, which
include the dig Internet radio service
• a digital satellite service to remote homesteads
and communities within Australia carrying
ABC analog television, Radio National,
ABC Classic FM and triple j, eight different
regional radio services (two each for the
Northern Territory, Queensland and Western
Australia, one each for New South Wales,
South Australia and Victoria), and ABC
NewsRadio and Parliamentary broadcasts
on the Parliamentary and News Network
• ABC Television retransmitted via cable
subscription services on Foxtel and Optus
Vision, and satellite subscription service
on Austar
• ABC Asia Pacific transmitted on the
PanAmSat 2 and PanAmSat 8 satellites,
and via rebroadcasts in countries across
Asia and the Pacific
• Radio Australia Services via shortwave
transmission from Brandon in Queensland,
Shepparton in Victoria, Darwin, Singapore,
Taiwan and the Marianas; the PanAmSat 2
and PanAmSat 8 satellites; and via
rebroadcasts on stations and outlets in
countries across Asia and the Pacific, Europe
and North America, including the Palapa C2
(via Muracam of Japan), Agila-2 (via Dream
of the Philippines) and Cakrawarta-1 (via
Indovision of Indonesia) satellites
6A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
ABC Programs and Services(continued)
s e c t i o n 1 7A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Erina
ABC Broadcasting CoverageProportion of the Australian population able to receive transmissions from ABC broadcasting services
Australia NSW/ACT Vic Qld WA SA Tas NT
Analog Television 98.22% 99.22% 98.83% 97.35% 97.01% 98.51% 97.11% 78.84%
Digital Television 94.28% 95.78% 97.53% 92.88% 88.37% 95.28% 89.89% 54.01%
Local Radio 99.34% 99.69% 99.78% 99.50% 98.77% 99.63% 98.43% 80.93%
Radio National 98.50% 99.12% 99.46% 97.83% 96.38% 99.54% 99.14% 79.60%
ABC Classic FM 95.66% 97.49% 97.96% 94.31% 89.68% 95.04% 95.67% 67.18%
triple j 95.19% 97.10% 97.92% 93.20% 88.82% 94.77% 95.67% 67.18%
ABC NewsRadio 78.19% 79.59% 82.54% 65.16% 76.50% 91.07% 94.86% 53.37%
Domestic Shortwave 0.97% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.19% 0.00% 86.45%
Note: Population was derived from Australian Bureau of Statistics 2001 Census data
everyone’s
8A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
australianspec ia l i sed in format ion
the city and the bushconnected
through australian eyesKate SieperRural Reporter Kate Sieper is one of the ABC’s team of 38 rural
reporters who are based in regional centres
around the country. ‘I went from living off the
cut-and-thrust of current affairs radio to being
able to see what radio really meant to people and
finding a new and different satisfaction in being
there to make sure their stories were heard.’
Kate works out of Katherine in the Northern
Territory and, like her rural colleagues elsewhere,
often drives hundreds of kilometres across
isolated areas and difficult terrain to cover
a story.
‘A rural reporter,’ she explains, ‘can be seen
at the saleyards covering the cattle prices, out
on a header checking the crops or riding giant
bulldozers at a mine. They do interviews on
everything from salinity to feral camel control.
They cover agripolitics and issues of land
management as well as personal stories.
They put rural Australia on radio and online.’
It’s a long way from home for the English
Honours graduate from Canberra.
Kate started with ABC Radio in Perth in 1999.
In 2000 she accepted a position in Karratha
in the Pilbara.
‘It was a difficult decision for me to travel to
the Pilbara and one which definitely changed
my life and my career with the ABC. As a rural
journalist based outside a metropolitan centre
you really get close to the community you are
reporting on.’
s e c t i o n 1 9A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Donald McDonald AOAppointed ABC Chairman in July 1996,
Donald McDonald was re-appointed Chairman
on 24 July 2001 for a second five year term.
Donald McDonald has been involved in the
administration of arts enterprises for over 35
years, including Sydney Theatre Company,
Musica Viva Australia and Vogue publications.
He was chief executive of the Australian Opera
for ten years until December 1996, and a
Director of SOCOG and the Constitutional
Centenary Foundation.
He is Chairman of The Really Useful
Company (Aust) and a Director of Focus
Publishing, the Glebe Administration Board
and the Australiana Fund.
Judith SloanAppointed a Director from 9 August 1999
and Deputy Chairman from 8 September
2000 to 9 August 2004.
Professor Sloan is a part-time Commissioner
of the Productivity Commission, a Director of
Santos, Mayne, SGIO Insurance, and Chair
of SGIC Holdings.
Russell BaldingAppointed Managing Director 29 May 2002.
Deputy Managing Director from 10 December
2001, Russell Balding was previously Director
of ABC Funding, Finance and Support Services.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Studies and
a Diploma of Technology (Commerce), and is
a Fellow of CPA Australia. Mr Balding has had
a distinguished career in public sector financial
management and administration, having held
senior financial management positions within
major NSW public sector organisations. He
has had extensive experience in financial and
executive general management, accounting,
auditing and capital works programming in
a number of organisations.
1 0A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Donald McDonald, Judith Sloan,
Russell Balding, Ramona Koval,
Ross McLean, John Gallagher,
Leith Boully, Maurice Newman,
Ron Brunton
ABC Board of Directors
Ramona KovalRe-elected Staff elected Director from
June 2004 for a further two year term.
Ramona Koval presents and produces the
weekly ABC Radio National program Books
and Writing, and has co-presented Australia
Talks Books, the monthly talk-back national
book club for the past two years. She is a
freelance columnist and newspaper feature
writer and is the author of one novel,
Samovar, and three books of non-fiction.
Ross McLeanAppointed a Director for a five year term
from 9 August 1999.
Ross McLean is the Deputy Chief Executive
of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of Western Australia, Member of the Board of
Management of Western Australian Municipal Self
Insurance Scheme, Director of Coventry Group,
and Chairman of the Board of Management
of the Fremantle Football Club (AFL).
John Gallagher QCAppointed a Director for a five year term
from 9 December 1999.
John Gallagher is a QC whose practice
involves civil and criminal law. His experience
encompasses environmental, town planning,
heritage, licensing, broadcasting tribunal,
valuation and general commercial cases.
He is the author of the 1990 Australian
Supplement of Licensing Laws in Halsbury’s
Laws of England, and articles on town planning
practice, compensation and licensing matters.
Leith BoullyAppointed a Director for a five year term
from 11 October 2000.
Leith Boully, who lives in regional Queensland,
holds qualifications in rural science and business
studies. She is Director of the Boully Pastoral
Company, Chair of the Community Advisory
Committee of the Murray Darling Basin Ministerial
Council and Director of the Land and Water
Resources Research and Development
Corporation.
Maurice Newman ACAppointed a Director for a five year term
from 20 December 2000. He resigned
on 30 June 2004.
Maurice Newman is Chancellor of
Macquarie University and the Chairman
of a number of companies and other bodies,
including the Australian Stock Exchange,
Acrux, Tourism New South Wales, Sydney
Convention and Visitors Bureau and the
Australian Government’s Financial Sector
Advisory Council.
His career spans forty years in stockbroking and
investment banking, including as Managing
Director in 1984, and Executive Chairman from
1985 until 1999 of what is now the Deutsche
Bank Group in Australia. He was also Chairman
of Deutsche Asset Management (Australia)
Limited from 1997 until 2000.
Ron BruntonAppointed a Director for a five year term
from 1 May 2003.
Dr Brunton is currently the Director of
Encompass Research—an organisation
engaged in anthropological and socio-
economic research, concentrating on
native title, Indigenous heritage, immigration
and environmental issues.
A widely published writer, Dr Brunton was a
fortnightly columnist for The Courier Mail from
1997 until 2003, and was a Senior Fellow at the
Institute of Public Affairs from 1995 to 2001.
He has published academic research papers
and books on a wide range of anthropological
issues and has lectured in anthropology at
various universities in Australia and the
University of Papua New Guinea.
s e c t i o n 1 1 1A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Through Australian EyesGiven the ABC’s ability to connect with Australians
everywhere, it should perhaps be no surprise
that last year more Australians made use of the
ABC than at any time in its history. Every week,
the ABC directly touches the lives of around
three-quarters of the Australian population.
The fourth ABC Appreciation Survey conducted
independently by Newspoll confirms that nine
out of 10 Australians believe the ABC performs
a valuable job for the community.
The ABC has a particular statutory mandate as
a public broadcaster. While obliged to offer
programs of wide appeal, it must also present
programs for more limited, specialised audiences.
It is a mandate well exercised. The Corporation
offers a breadth of quality programming that has
no rival in the Australian electronic media. The
ABC’s provision of programs that properly inform
public life distinguishes the public broadcaster’s
contribution within the Australian media.
Discussion and debate about policies and
decisions that shape our lives will not always
make for popular programs. This is particularly
true of television since many people regard it
primarily as an entertainment medium.
Independent and trusted News and Current
Affairs programs give time and place to
questioning, debate and discussion, adding
depth to the Australian democratic process.
In 2003-04, ABC News and Current Affairs
programs enjoyed a greater audience share
than ever before.
The ABC continues to give prominence to a
broad range of subjects and ideas that would
otherwise be neglected because they were
not the most popular. Talents are allowed
to develop, rather than expected to be
immediately successful.
While Australian television and radio became
increasingly imitative during the past year, the
ABC grew more imaginative and inventive. It
offered more choice at a time when the market
was inclined to offer less—an enduring reason
for the ABC’s existence, and its continuing
point of difference.
We see that difference in the creative talents
who appear on Strictly Dancing; through new
ideas brought to light by The New Inventors;
and through Television’s wide range of spirited,
innovative programming.
Each ABC Radio network continued to
reach out and respond to the interests of its
specialised audiences. Many young Australian
musical talents were heard first on triple j, which
continued to both discover and promote
genuinely original, unmistakably present-day
Australian music.
Innovative and imaginative work by New Media
and Digital Services kept the Corporation at the
front line of broadcast developments. It met a
growing demand for media to be available
in new and different forms with a myriad of
engaging and award-winning experiences.
These contributions add up to an extraordinary
range of reference points to the ABC in everyday
Australian life.
Continuous Reform, Future StrategyFrom the mailroom to the Board Room, the
Corporation’s program of continuous reform
has ensured that the ABC is better governed,
more efficiently managed and is delivering the
best possible dividend to the public on its
investment in the ABC.
The Board particularly commends the managerial
reforms initiated and led by Managing Director,
Russell Balding. Through a steady, systematic,
1 2A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
board Directors Statement ’
and well-ordered program of reform, the
value derived from public funding has been
gradually extended.
The fiscal strategy applied across the Corporation
following the 2003-06 triennial funding agreement
with Government has succeeded in balancing
activities to a sustainable level.
The Board, too, has examined its own
governance procedures and practices in
accordance with a considerable body of best
practice guidelines, including those set out by
the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in
its discussion paper Corporate Governance in
Commonwealth Authorities and Companies.
This paper provides a checklist for directors to
assess the strengths and weaknesses of their
organisation’s governance framework. ABC Board
Directors first completed the ANAO checklist
in October 2001 and most recently in June 2004.
A comparison of the results shows improvement
across nearly every measure. The 2004 results
confirm that Board members believe effective
governance processes are in place at the ABC.
The ANAO follow-up review on Corporate
Governance in the ABC commended the ABC’s
progress with recommendations of the original
2001 review—more than 75% of which have
been fully implemented or are on track, with
the remainder partially implemented.
The ABC Code of Practice summarises the major
principles that guide ABC programs. During
the past year, the Editorial Policies Committee
of the ABC Board supervised revision of the
Code. This revised ABC Code of Practice
will become effective from 1 July 2004.
The ABC Advisory Council provided the
Board’s Advisory Council Committee with
issues-based discussion papers and advice
on ABC programming derived from the wide
range of community links maintained by
Council members.
During the Board strategy development day,
consideration was given to major infrastructure
and resource allocations. The Board’s Finance
Committee approved the development of a
ten-year capital plan for the Corporation.
The Board also placed strategic priority on
maximising future opportunities and possibilities
for the ABC, examining the Corporation’s
capacity to develop quality content for all
current and new media platforms.
Maurice Newman AC resigned from the
Board with effect from 30 June. The Board
would like to record its appreciation for
the significant contribution made to the
Corporation by Mr Newman during his term.
Through his Chairmanship of the Board’s
Finance Committee and his work in establishing
the Directors Handbook and Code of Conduct
he has created a valuable legacy.
ConclusionThrough persistent effort, a progressive
and distinctive ABC has this year captured
the Australian imagination in more ways
than ever before.
The Board is pleased to see that today’s
ABC is an enduring affirmation of public
broadcasting’s power to stimulate, challenge,
inform and entertain and in doing so, to fully
reflect the complexity of contemporary
Australia and its people.
In 2003-04, the Board ensured that the
Corporation operated within the limits of
available resources and is satisfied that it has
fulfilled its duties as laid out in Section 8 of the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983.
The Board commends this report to the
Parliament and the people of Australia.
s e c t i o n 1 1 3A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
Donald McDonald AO Chairman, Judith Sloan Deputy Chair, Russell Balding Managing Director,
Leith Boully Director, Ron Brunton Director, John Gallagher QC Director,
Ramona Koval Staff Elected Director, Ross McLean Director, Maurice Newman AC Director
The ABC Advisory Council is established under
the provisions of the ABC Act to provide advice
to the Board on matters relating to broadcasting
and television programs of the Corporation.
The ABC Board appoints the twelve members
of the Council for a period of up to four years.
The public are invited to apply to join the Council
through promotions on ABC Radio, Television
and Online and advertisement in the press. This
year Dr Pamela Chick, Mrs Robyn Lambley, Dr
Paul Collier and Mr Alan Wu joined the Council.
The Advisory Council and the ABC Board
continued to build on Council’s role in advising
the ABC Board on community views.
The ABC Board Advisory Committee chaired
by Professor Judith Sloan met with the Council
after each Advisory Council meeting and the
Subcommittee held its annual meeting in
December 2003.
Council has continued to make recommendations
to the Board on various aspects of ABC
programming and has had meetings with ABC
Executive Directors on key areas including
development and audience research.
Council has held focus discussions on Arts,
Documentary and Sports programming. The
Council met three times during the year and
between meetings individual members obtained
feedback and views from a diverse range of
communities including disability networks,
e-mail lists from local areas, face to face contact,
business associations, small business people,
local government, universities, TAFE colleges,
Indigenous people, libraries, professional
associations, medical and scientific contacts,
sports groups, Regional Development Council,
Non Government Organisations and participation
in talk-back radio.
The Council prepared Discussion Papers on
Australian History—Exploring the Past to Inform
our Future—and Program Standards and
Community Expectations—Treating Content
with Integrity, Audiences with Respect and
New Perspectives with Courage and Disability
in the ABC. Council also conducted a review
of the Cultural Diversity Subcommittee Report
of January 2003.
These papers have been circulated widely in the
ABC and have been included in the Corporation’s
Corporate Plan processes.
This year the Council’s Workplan for the year
includes Discussion Papers on Australian Drama
and Science. Work is commencing on a further
paper with the working title Courage and
Innovation in Program Delivery.
A summary of the Council’s recommendations
and commendations for the year, together
with responses from ABC management is
in Appendix 17 (page 167).
1 4A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
abc advisory council
National Advisory Council
Back row standing from left: Mr Simon Andrews,
Ms Sascha Walkley, Mr Alan Wu, Mr Phil Wood,
Mr Keith Smith, Dr Pamela Chick and
Mrs Robyn Lambley.
Front row seated from left: Ms Beverly Smallwood,
Mr Glyn Parry, Dr Paul Collier, Ms Deborah Klika
(Convenor) and Professor Michael Burgess.
In last year’s Annual Report, the ABC
foreshadowed a period of consolidation as
it commenced a new funding triennium in
2003-04. The Corporation needed to take
the action to operate at a sustainable level
of funded activities.
In May 2004, the Government announced it
would extend funding of the ABC’s National
Interest Initiatives (NII) to June 2008, providing
a total of $54.4 million over three years. NII
funding enabled the Corporation to significantly
expand its services to audiences in regional
Australia and to generate other programming in
areas such as business and finance, children’s
and education. The Government also undertook
to provide $17.4 million over four years in
recognition of the increasing costs of purchasing
television programs in Australia and internationally.
This Budget outcome provided a secure financial
base for the current funding triennium (which
ends in June 2006) and the basis for a new
three-year Corporate Plan.
The ABC will continue to position itself for the
inevitable transformation of Australia’s media
environment, as audiences respond to a growing
choice of established and emerging digital
services. It is essential that the ABC apply a
‘whole-of-audience’ focus to its radio, television
and new media services, if it is to remain relevant
and valued in that changing environment.
Planning priorities derive explicitly from the
ABC’s legislative Charter to inform, educate
and entertain. The 2004-07 Corporate Plan
will have four overall Objectives, which reflect
the core values of national public broadcasting:
• contribute to a sense of national identity
• engage audiences with relevant and
innovative programs and services
• ensure the ABC’s independence, integrity
and high standards
• provide maximum benefit to the people
of Australia.
An important priority from 2004-05 is to create
more opportunities for audiences to connect
with the diversity of their communities through
an ABC that is distinctively Australian in its
programming and services.
Innovation in digital broadcasting is another
key priority. The ABC will establish a second
(digital) television channel that uses new media
production and presentation methodologies to
deliver operational flexibility and efficiency. It
also intends to further explore the potential
of Digital Radio Broadcasting.
In competing for the attention of audiences,
the ABC will do so on its own terms as a
non-commercial public broadcaster that offers
programming of broad appeal and more
specialised interest.
The Board and management also propose
to continue striving to achieve best practice
standards of corporate governance and high
value for money to the Australian community.
s e c t i o n 1 1 5A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 3 - 0 4
The Year Ahead
0520